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BELONGS   TO 

rf  it  is  borrowed  by  a  friend, 
Kight  welcome  shall  he  be, 

To  read,  to  study,  not  to  lend. 
But  to  return  to  me. 

Not  that  imparted  knowledge  dotM 

Diminish  learning's  store: 
But  books,  I  find,  sometimes,  when  lent, 

Return  to  me  no  more. 


Read  slowly,  pause  frequently, 

Think  seriously, 

Keep  cleanly,  return  duly. 

With  the  corners  of  the  leavea 

Not  turned  down. 


.  AJ^AX^ 


27a  S.  state  Street, 

T.T  l.AKR   nTTV.  riTAI 


BANCROFT    LIBHA: 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.0rg/detail.s/fragmentsofexperOOjuverich 


FRAGMENTS 


O  F 


EXPERIENCE, 


SIXTH     BOOK  OF   THE 


FAITH-PROMOTi&  SERIES. 


Designed,    for    the    Instru-Ction    and    EneoiAragement    of 
You.ng   Latter-day   Saints. 


JUVENILE  IJSrSTEUCTOR  OFFICE, 
Salt   liake   City, 


'  1882. 


{ 


//<^<^<^ 


PREFACE. 


TN  issuing  this,  the  Sixth  Book  of  the  Faith-Promoting 
Series,  we  trust  that  it  will  meet  with  the  same  kind 
reception  that  its  predecessors  have.  Perhaps  no  books  that 
have  ever  been  published  in  our  Church  have  become  so 
popular  in  so  short  a  time  as  the  volumes  of  this  Series  which 
have  already  been  issued.  They  have  tended  towards  sup- 
plying a  want  which  has  long  been  felt  in  our  community, 
and  we  feel  assured  that  they  have  done  a  great  amount  of 
good. 

Young  minds,  as  a  rule,  are  not  attracted  by  those  publi- 
cations which  treat  specially  upon  doctrine.  They  are  usually 
too  profound  for  young  people  to  grasp  and  fully  comprehend 
the  ideas  that  are  contained  in  them.  To  the  person  with 
O  fully  matured  mind  and  well-developed  reasoning  faculties 
they  may  appear  ever  so  simple,  and  even  fascinating,  but  to 
most  young  people  they  are  uninteresting,  io  some  positively 
distasteful.  And  yet  there  is  scarcely  a  child  but  can  be  taught 
principle  in  the  form  of  narrative,  wherein  the  application  is 
made  for  him  in  scenes  from  real  life,  and  appreciate  it. 
There  is  no  more  sure  way  of  instilling  into  the  mind  of  a 
child  faith  in  (rod  and  in  the  work  which  He  has  established 
upon  the  earth  than  by  illustrating  it  with  incidents  from 
actual  experience.  The  lesson,  too,  is  likely  to  be  all  the 
more  effective  in  the  persons  whose  lives  are  held  up  for  examples 
are  those  with  whom  the  child  is  acquainted  and  in  whom  he 


iv.  PREFACE, 


has  confidence.  The  lives  of  many  of  the  Elders  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  abound  in 
incidents  which,  if  written  and  published,  would  tend  to 
inspire  those  who  might  read  them  with  faith  in  God  and  a 
spirit  of  emulation.  We  hope  a  more  general  interest  may 
soon  be  felt  throughout  our  Church  in  writing  up  such  inci- 
dents. That  the  host  of  children  now  growing!  up  in  the 
valleys  of  the  mountains  appreciate  and  are  ready  to  profit  by 
their  perusal  there  can  be  no  doubt. 

The  Fragments  of  Experience  herein  contained  are 
collected  at  random,  but  many  valuable  lessons  may  be  drawn 
(rom  the  incidents  narrated,  and  we  trust  that  the  seed  which 
they  may  sow  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  peruse  them  will  be 
productive  of  a  rich  yield  of  fruit,  in  the  kingdom  of  our 
Father. 


The  Publisher. 


CONTENTS. 


HELP    FROM    THE    LORD. 

Mission  to  Illinois  when  a  Boy— Attempt  of  a  Deacon  to  Put 
me  to  Shame — Open  my  Bible  to  the  Passage  Kequired — 
Prove  our  Position  Correct  from  the  Scriptures — Befriended 
by  an  Infidel— Preachers  Assault  on  the  "Frogs"— The 
"Frog"  Keplies.  Page  9. 

EARLY    EXPERIENCE    OP    A    LATTER- 
DAY    SAINT. 

Hear  the  Gospel  by  Chance — Compunction  at  Speaking  Lightly 
of  the  Prophet— Join  the  Church— A  New  Suit  of  Clothes- 
Opposed  by  Kelatives— My  Old  Friend,  the  Bible— A  Dream 
— Required  to  Renounce  "Mormonism"  or  Leave  the  House 
—My  Relatives  Refuse  to  Speak  to  me— They  Pawn  my 
Clothes— I  Recover  Them— Violence  Used— My  Clothes 
Torn— My  Mother's  Death — My  Brothers  Quarrel,  and  call 
upon  me  to  Sfettle  their  Difiiculties — My  Brother  Sick- 
Healed  in  Answer  to  my  Prayer.  Page  13. 

DISOBEDIENCE    TO    COUNSEL. 

Driven  from  my  Property  by  the  Mob — Desire  to  Return  and 
Recover  some  of  it— Counseled  by  the  Church  Authorities 
not  to  Go — Persist  in  Going — Visit  a  Friendly  Family —  . 
Amiable  Intention  of  my  Debtors — Meet  two  of  Them — 
They  Threaten  my  Life — Despair  of  Getting  Anything  and 
Try  to  Start  Home— Beaten  over  the  Head  with  a  Pole — 
Barely  Escape  with  my  Life — Ashamed  to  have  my  Friends 
Know  It— The  Lesson  I  Learned.  Page  19. 


CONTENTS. 


LORENZO    DOW    YOUNG'S   NARRATIVE. 
CHAPTEE    I. 

My  Mother's  Promise— Chased  by  Wolves — A  Kemarkable 
Dream— Thrown  from  a  Horse — Providentially  Saved — 
Keligious  Kevival — Preachers  Try  in  Vain  to  Convert  me — 
Kidiculed  for  not  Playing  at  Cards— Read  Infidel  Works— 
Their  Effect— A  Vision.  *    Page  22. 

CHAPTER    II. 

Marriage— A  Vision  of  Other  Worlds— My  Reluctance  at 
Returning  to  a  Mortal  Existence — A  Promise  with  Con- 
ditions—I Exhort  Others  to  Faithfulness.  Page  27. 

CHAPTER    III. 

I  Take  to  Preaching— Make  Many  Converts— Refuse  to  Baptize 
Them — They  are  Baptized  by  a  Campbellite  Preacher- 
Urged  to  Join  the  Campbellites— Refuse,  and  the  Devil 
Tempts  me— I  Grieve  the  Spirit,  but  Regain  it  Through 
Fasting  and  Prayer— Hear  the  Gospel— Visit  from  Elder 
Gifford— He  is  Threatened  with  Tar  and  Feathers— My 
Brother  and  I  Defend  Him.  Page  31. 

CHAPTER   IV. 

Converted— Start  for  Missouri— Called  to  Preach  "Mormonism" 
without  being  Baptized— Join  the  Church- Voyage  to  Pitts- 
burg— Preach  the  Gospel  and  Establish  a  Branch— Experi- 
ence as  a  Trunk-maker— Mission  to  New  York — Speak  in 
Tongues— Effects  of  Preaching  Counteracted  by  Lies— Sec- 
ond Voyage  Down  the  Ohio— Providential  Delay. 

Page  35. 

CHAPTER   V. 

Removal  to  Kirtland — Work  upon  the  Temple — A  Lesson — 
Sickness — Pronounced  Incurable  by  Doctors — Healed  in 
Answer  to  Prayer — Cured  of  Lameness — ^Removal  to 
Missouri — Commencement  of  Hostilities — Surrounded  by  a 
Mob — Face  Death — Rescued.  Page  42. 


CONTENTS.  VU. 


CHAPTEK    VI. 

Warned  to  Leave  the  Country  or  Kenounce  "Mormonism" — 
Wife  and  Children  Threatened— A  Boy's  Pluck— Forced  to 
Flee  for  our  Lives — Property  Confiscated — Battle  of  Crooked 
Eiver—Providentially  Saved— F^  West  Besieged— Escape 
to  Iowa — Pursued — Providential  Snow  Storm.       Page  48. 


AN  INSTANCE  OP  DIVINE  INTERPOSITION. 

Visit  to  Scotland — Meet  Old  Friends— Keturn  to  Liverpool— 
About  to  go  by  Steamer  to  Bristol — A  Voice  Warns  me  not 
to  Go— Turn  Back — Short  of  Money— Meaiis  Providentially 
Provided— Journey  to  Portsmouth— Sequel  to  the  Warning 
— The  Steamer  Wrecked.  Page  55. 

MY    LAST    MISSION    TO    THE     SANDWICH 
ISLANDS. 

CHAPTER     I. 

Elders  Called  Home  from  the  Sandwich  Islands— Native  Elders 
Left  to  Preside— G-ibson's  Arrival  in  Salt  Lake— Joins  the 
Church — Asks  for  a  Mission  to  the  Sandwich  Islands — His 
Deep-laid  Scheme — Leading  Astray  the  Hawaiian  Saints — 
Five  Elders  Sent  to  Investigate — Arrival  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands— Attempt  to  go  Ashore  in  a  Boat— Capsized  in  the 
Surf— Elder  *  Lorenzo  Snow  Lost — After  a  Long  Search, 
Found  Under  the  Boat — Efforts  to  Resuscitate  Him — 
Restored  to  Life  One  Hour  After  Being  Drowned. 

Page  60. 

CHAPTER    II. 

Journey  to  Lanai— Meet  Mr.  Gibson — Reverence  of  Natives  for 
Him — His  Speech  and  Assumption — Elder  Joseph  F.  Smith's 
Reply— Elder  Snow's  Prophecy— Mr.  Gibson  Cut  Off  the 
Church— Elder  Snow's  Prophecy  Fulfilled— Advised  to 
Select  a  New  Gathering  Place— A  Vision— Suitable  Place 
Pointed  Out.  Page  69. 


viii.  CONTENTS. 


A    PROPHECY    FULFILLED. 

Called  on  a  Mission  to  the  Sandwich  Islands—Journey  by  the 
Southern  Eoute— A  Prophecy— Fear  After  Uttering  It— 
Eesidence  in  Honolulu— Political  and  Keligioiis  Conflict— 
The  Kingdom  in  Jeopardy— Dissatisfaction  Among  the 
People— Letter  to  the  King  Favorably  Considered— A 
Dr§am— A  Prince  sent  by  the  King  to  Ask  Counsel  of 
Latter-day  Saint  Elders — Advice  Accepted,  and  the  King- 
dom Saved — The  Dream  and  Prophecy  Fulfilled  Together. 

Page  75. 

SPECIAL    PROVIDENCES. 

Circumstances  under  which  the  Early  Temples  were  Built — How 

the  Workmen  were  Encouraged — Arrival  of  Brother   L 

in  NauvQO— His  Willingness  to  Work  without  Pay— His 
Extreme  Want— Appeals  to  God  for  Help— Money  Miracu- 
lously Provided— Prayer  for  Food  Answered— Providential 
Finding  of  a  Pair  of  Shoes  on  the  Plains— A  Crippled 
Shoulder  Kestored  while  Defending  the  Character  of  Joseph 
Smith.  Page  81. 

INCIDENTS    ON    THE     PLAINS. 

CHAPTEK     I. 

Army  Sent  to  Utah— Missionaries  Called  Home— Large  Number 
Assembled  at  Florence— Dangers  of  Trip— Council  to 
Decide  Upon  Course  of  Action — Fortunate  Fog— Provi- 
dential Storm.  Page  89. 

CHAPTER    II. 

Apostates  Met — The  Chaplain  Separates  From  the  Company 
to  Meet  some  Apostates --An  Adventurous  Trip — Discharged 
Government  Teamsters  Indignant  at  "Mormons" — Plot  to 
•  Steal  the  Chaplain's  Horse— Advice  to  the  Apostates  to 
Look  to  Their  Own  Safety— Mr.  Stout's  Compassion  for  the 
Hatchet-faced  Missourian— How  His  Confidence  was 
Rewarded— Meet  Captain  Hatch— News  of  Buchanan's 
Amnesty  Proclamation — Evade  the  Army  and  Reach  the 
Valley  in  Safety.  Page  93. 


HELP    FROM    THE    LORD. 


By  C. 


MISSION  IN  ILLINOIS  WHEN  A  BOY— ATTEMPT  OF  A  DEACON 
TO  PUT  ME  TO  SHAME — OPEN  MY  BIBLE  TO  THE  PAS- 
SAGE REQUIRED — PROVE  OUR  POSITION  CORRECT  FROM 
THE      SCRIPTURES  —  BEFRIENDED      BY      AN      INFIDEL  — 

preacher's  assault  on  the  "frogs"— THE  "frog" 

REPLIES. 

IN  the  year  1845,  I  was  appointed  on  a  mission  from 
Nauvoo,  to  labor  about  Cass  County,  Illinois,  in  company 
with  Theodore  Curtis. 

After  traveling  together  we  concluded  to  separate,  and  I 
continued  alone,  preaching  wherever  an  opportunity  presented 
itself 

One  evening  I  was  approaching  a  little  town  called  Vir- 
ginia, foot-sore  and  weary,  having  been  frequently  denied 
food. 

I  retired,  as  was  my  wont  particularly  when  so  impressed, 
for  prayer,  and  for  God  to  soften  the  hearts  of  those  I  might 
meet,  to  give  me  shelter,  food  and  rest,  and  finally  to  open  up 
my  way. 

Towards  evening  I  found  a  number  of  persons  congregated 
at  the  country  store.  I  saluted  them  with  "Good-evening," 
and  inquired  the  opportunity  of  getting  a  chance  to  preach  in 
that  place. 

I  carried  the  badge  of  a  "Mormon"  preacher  in  my  hand, 
namely,   a  small  round  valise,  containing  a  shirt,  change  of 


10  HELP  FROM  THE  LORD. 

socks,  Bible  and  hymn  book.  I  was  soon  assured  by  one  or 
two  that  there  was  no  earthly  show  for  a  '  'Mormon' '  preacher 
to  be  heard  in  that  place. 

1  replied,  "I  would  like  to  preach  in  that  nice,  newly-fin- 
ished meeting-house  just  opposite."  A  man  spoke  up  quite 
authoritatively,  and  said  that  no  '  'Mormon' '  should  preach  in 
that  house,  which  had  just  been  dedicated — I  think  for  Pres- 
byterian worship. 

They  termed  this  man  the  deacon.  This  produced  con- 
siderable talk,  for  many  of  the  crowd  were  of  what  is  termed 
the  liberal  or  infidel  persuasion,  so  much  so  that  the  deacon 
was  overwhelmed  by  argument,  shame  and  reproach,  for 
refusing  a  boy  like  me  a  chance  to  preach. 

To  cover  his  shame  and  to  nonplus  me,  he  remarked,  "I 
have  heard  say  that  your  preachers  are  pretty  apt  with  the 
scriptures,  and  can  produce  almost  any  doctrine  you  like  from 
the  Bible. ' '  I  replied  that  the  men  were,  but  that  I  was  but 
a  boy;   yet  I  thought  I  knew  a  little  of  the  scriptures. 

He  remarked  "Your  people  believe  in  laying  hands  on  the 
sick;  don't  you?" 

I  answered  that  we  did,  and  because  Christ  had  said  in  His 
remarkable  commission  to  His  apostles,  that  this  was  one  of 
the  signs  following,  quoting  Mark  xvi. ,  15-18.  I  also  quoted 
James  v.,  14. 

"Yes,  yes;"  says  he,  "that  is  all  very  good,  but  that  says 
only  once,  and  your  Elders  sometimes  lay  hands  twice  in  suc- 
cession on  the  same  person.  Whoever  heard  of  Jesus  or  the 
apostles  doing  anything  like  that?"  He  then  cited  an 
instance  where,  as  he  said,  Joseph  Smith  had  done  this  in 
administering  to  a  sick  woman. 

The  good-natured  excitement  was  intense.  The  deacon 
thought  I  was  overwhelmed,  and  proposed  that  if  I  could 
prove  a  similar  transaction  from  the  scriptures,  I  might 
preach  in  that  house  that  very  night. 

Eagerness  now  seized  the  men,  and  the  deacon  chuckled 
over  his  presumed  victory,  and  boasted  of  his  acquaintance 
with  the  "Blessed  Word." 

I  unbuckled  my  valise,  drew  forth  my  little  Bible,  and 
opened  it  intuitively  to  this  passage  in  Mark  viii. ,   22-25 : 


BEFRIENDED   BY  AN  INFIDEL.  11 

*'And  he  cometh  to  Bethsaida;  and  they  bring  a  blind  man 
unto  him,  and  besought  him  to  touch  him.  And  he  took  the 
blind  man  by  the  hand,  ^  *  *  and  put  his  hands 
upon  him,  and  asked  him  if  he  saw  aught.  And  he  looked 
up,  and  said,  I  see  men  as  trees,  walking.  After  that  he  put 
his  hands  again  upon  his  eyes,  and  made  him '  look  up :  and 
he  was  restored,  and  saw  every  man  clearly." 

The  reading  of  this  scripture ;  the  sudden  finding  of  it,  for 
I  was  led  to  it  as  clearly  as  a  man  leads  his  horse  to  the  water ; 
its  aptness  and  conclusiveness,  accompanied  by  the  jeers  of 
the  infidel  portion  of  the  crowd,  mortified  the  deacon — he  was 
discomfited. 

I  remarked  that  I  would,  according  to  the  deacon's  terms, 
preach  in  the  church  that  evening,  provided  some  one  would 
find  candles.  The  candles  were  instantly  offered,  and  accord- 
ingly, I  preached  with  power  and  the  demonstration  of  the 
Spirit. 

After  the  close  of  the  services,  I  found  a  resting  place  with 
one  of  the  most  avowed  infidels  of  the  neighborhood,  who 
had  listened  to  the  talk  between  the  deacon  and  myself,  and 
who  particularly  enjoyed  the  good  man's  discomfiture.  By 
his  persuasion  I  staid  some  time  in  the  neighborhood,  occupy- 
ing occasionally  the  school-house. 

He  even  proffered  me  some  land  to  build  me  a  house  if  I 
would  stay,  preach  and  teach  school ;  but  my  mind  was  bent 
on  returning  to  Nauvoo. 

But  one  evening,  when  I  had  been  preaching  my  intended 
farewell  sermon  in  the  closely-packed  school-house,  and  just 
at  its  close,  a  person  arose  and  said  that,  God  willing,  he 
would  deliver  a  discourse  there  the  next  Sunday,  and  expose 
the  "Mormon"  delusion,  giving  his  announcement  all  the  • 
force  and  emphasis  possible. 

My  friends  gathered  at  my  place  of  stopping,  and,  joining 
with  my  host,  prevailed  upon  me  to  stay.  The  word  was 
given  out  that  I  had  gone  to  Nauvoo. 

At  the  time  appointed  a  great  crowd  had  convened— time, 
early  candle-light. 

I  arrived  late,  purposely.     My  friend  and  I  took  seats  near 

?  door. 


12  HELP  FROM  THE  LORD. 

The  preacher,  after  preliminaries,  opened  the  Bible,  and, 
for  his  text,  read  the  13th  and  14th  verses  of  the  16th  chapter 
of  Revelations. 

After  dilating  upon  the  swampy  nature  of  the  soil  contigu- 
ous to  Nauvoo,  styling  it  a  good  place  for  frogs,  and 
facetiously  comparing  it  to  the  "mouth  of  the  dragon,"  he 
came  down  heavily  on  the  "false  prophet,"  the  miracles,  etc. 
It  was  a  most  scathing  rebuke  on  "Mormonism." 

His  final  peroration  was  on  the  habits  of  the  frogs,  which, 
while  no  footsteps  were  heard,  croaked  and  croaked,  but  at 
the  first  sound  of  an  approaching  footstep,  dodged  their 
heads  beneath  the  water.  "So,"  said  he,  at  the  same  time 
rising  to  the  sublime  hight  of  his  oratory,  "where,  oh  wheri 
is  the  frog  that  croaked  here  a  day  or  two  ago  ?  Grone  to  that 
slough  of  iniquity,  Nauvoo,  the  seat  of  the  dragon  and  the 
false  prophet.  Why  has  he  fled?  Because  he  heard  the 
footsteps  of  your  true  shepherd. ' '  After  much  interlarding, 
he  dismissed  by  prayer. 

I  immediately  arose  and  said  that  the  frog  was  there  yet, 
and  would  croak  once  more,  naming  the  time. 

Shouts  from  the  audience  named  that  same  evening  as  the 
time,  and  the  reverend  preacher,  amid  jeers,  cheers  and  cries 
of,  "Grive  the  boy  a  chance!"  made  for  the  one  door. 

My  friend  was  alive  to  the  emergency,  and  I,  nothing  loth, 
opened  a  fusilade  from  I.  Timothy,  4th  chapter,  while  the 
preacher  was  hemmed  in  by  the  crowd,  and  my  friend  with 
his  back  to  the  door. 

After  an  exhaustive  testimony  of  the  work,  we  all  departed, 
some  pleased,  some  chagrined. 

In  both  of  the  instances  here  narrated,  the  opening  of  the 
Bible  to  the  apt  and  confirmatory  passages,  were  then  to  my 
mind  clearly  the  answer  to  prayer;  for  if  ever  previously  read 
they  had  escaped  my  memory. 

How  much  good  I  did  on  that  mission,  I  cannot  guess. 
One  thing  I  do  know,  as  a  general  rule  not  many  are  truly 
converted  by  the  clamor  of  crowds,  or  the  frenzy  of  debates. 

My  object  in  giving  these  two  instances  is  to  incite  my 
young  brethren  to  a  study  of  the  scriptures,  the  necessity  of 
earnest  secret  prayer,  and  confidence  in  the  promise  that  at 


THE  LORD   SHOULD  BE  GLORIFIED.  13 

the  hour  and  time  God  will  help  them,  and  bring  them  off 
victoriously. 

Grreat  care  must  be  taken  to  give  Grod  the  glory  in  your 
after  prayer,  "for  no  flesh  can  glory  in  his  sight." 

Enconiums  should  produce  humility,  lest  we  be  puffed 
up,  and,  in  an  after  time,  display  our  complete  nothingness. 


EARLY  EXPERIENCE  OF     A 
LATTER-DAY   SAINT. 


HEAR  THE  GOSPEL  BY  CHANCE— COMPUNCTIO  N  AT  SPEAKING 
LIGHTLY  OF  THE  PROPHET — JOIN  THE  CHURCH— A  NEW 
SUIT  OF  CLOTHES — OPPOSED  BY  RELATIVES — MY  OLD 
FRIEND,  THE  BIBLE — A  DREAMS-REQUIRED  TO  RENOUNCE 
"MORMONISM"  or  leave  THE  HOUSE — MY  RELATIVES 
REFUSE  TO  SPEAK  TO  ME— THEY  PAWN  MY  CLOTHES— 
I  RECOVER  THEM— VIOLENCE  USED— MY  CLOTHES  TORN 
—MY  mother's  death— my  BROTHERS  QUARREL  AND 
CALL  UPON  ME  TO  SETTLE  THEIR  DIFFICULTIES — MY 
BROTHER  SICK — HEALED  IN  ANSWER  TO  MY  PRAYER. 

THE  substance  of  the  following  little  sketch  was  told  to 
the  writer  by  the  subject  of  it,  who  is  an  Elder  in  the 
Church,  and  lives  in  Salt  Lake  City.      His  name  is  Robert 

P k.     We  give  it  in  words  as  near  his  own  as  we  can 

remember. 

I  was  born  and  reared  in  the  city  of  Glasgow,  Scotland.  *  I 
passed  my  boyhood  without  thinking  much  on  religious  mat- 
ters, till  I  was  about  eighteen  years  of  age.  At  this  period 
of  my  life  I  was  walking  along  what  is  called  the  Green,  a 
kind  of  public  park,  when  my  attention  was  attracted  by  some 
men  discussing  publicly  the  principles  of  religion.  One  of 
them  was  a  Baptist,  and  I  could  see  that  he  had  the  best  of 


14  ATTEND  A    "mORMON"   MEETING. 

the  argument,  baptism  by  immersion  being  a  Bible  doctrine. 
This  was  on  Sunday  evening. 

After  listening  to  the  discussion  for  some  time,  I  was 
attracted  to  a  place  where  another  man  was  preaching.  This 
one  proved  to  be  an  Elder  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-day  Saints. 

I  was  so  struck  with  the  principles  he  advanced,  that  I 
drank  down  greedily  every  word  he  spoke,  and  on  hearing  him 
tell  where  the  meeting-house  of  the  Latter-day  Saints  was 
situated,  I  went  there.  I  was,  however,  too  bashful  to  go 
inside,  but  I  walked  back  and  forth  around  the  building, 
listening  and  catching  whatever  words  I  could. 

I  was  out  later  than  usual  that  night,  and  when  I  got  home 
I  was  questioned  as  to  the  cause  of  my  absence,  by  my  mother 
(my  father  had  been  dead  many  years)  and  brothers.  I  said 
I  had  been  to  hear  the  "Mormons." 

"Who  are  the  Mormons?" 

"Why,  the  followers  of  Joe  Smith,"  said  L  But  I  had  no 
sooner  said  this  than  a  sharp  pang  shot  through  me,  and  I 
felt  condemned  for  speaking  thus  irreverently  of  the  prophet. 
I  did  it  because  I  thought  it  would  excuse  me  in  the  eyes  of 
my  relatives.  I  knew!  had  done  wrong,  for,  young  as  1  was,  I 
felt  deeply  impressed  with  the  idea  that  Joseph  Smith  was 
a  prophet  of  God.  As  it  was,  I  was  severely  reprimanded 
for  staying  out  so  late. 

Shortly  after  this  I  went  to  meeting  and  heard  Elder  John 
Taylor  speak  on  the  setting  up  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the 
latter  days,  which  did  a  great  deal  towards  convincing  me  that 
the  Lord  had  revealed  the  gospel  in  this  age.  After  attend- 
ing meeting  for  some  time,  I  was  finally  baptized  into  the 
Church,  and  was  filled  with  joy  because  I  knew  that  I  was 
indeed  a  member  of  the  true  Church  of  Christ. 

Knowing  that  if  my  mother  and  four  brothers  discovered 
that  I  had  joined  the  Church  I  would  have  no  peace  at  home, 
I  kept  the  matter  secret  from  them.  I  was  but  an  apprentice 
and  only  earning  the  small  sum  of  three  shillings  a  week 
(equal  to  seventy-five  cents)  and  was,  therefore,  somewhat 
dependent  on  my  relatives. 


DEFEND   MYSELF  WITH  THE  BIBLE.  15 

I  was  about  to  get  my  wages  raised  a  shilling  a  week,  and 
my  eldest  brother,  Hugh,  proposed  that  he  should  get  me  a 
suit  of  clothes,  and  I  pay  this  shilling  a  week  until  the  suit 
was  paid  for,  so  that  I  might  go  to  church  with  the  rest  of 
the  family. 

I  was  glad  to  exchange,  on  Sundays,  my  old,  patched, 
shabby  working  suit  for  some  respectable  clothing,  and  it  was 
agreed  to. 

On  the  following  Sunday  morning  I  went  to  meeting  as 
usual,  and  was  complimented  by  the  President  of  the  Branch 
on  my  improved  personal  appearance.  When  I  got  home  in 
the  evening  the  first  question  asked  of  me  was, 

"Where  have  you  been?" 

'  'I  have  been  to  meeting. ' ' 

"What  meeting?" 

'  'I  have  been  to  hear  the  Latter-day  Saints. ' ' 

At  this  there  was  a  perfect  storm  about  my  ears.  I  went 
and  got  the  old  family  Bible,  and  laid  down  the  "law  and  the 
testimony. ' ' 

In  answer  to  all  they  would  say,  I  quoted  and  read  from  the 
Bible.  I  explained  the  principles  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  and 
the  strongest  argument  any  of  them  used  was  in  each  picking 
up  his  hat  and  walking  out. 

On  the  following  day  (Monday)  I  felt  somewhat  timid  about 
going  home  in  the  evening,  for  I  had  dreamed  on  the  Sunday 
night  that  my  brothers  were  plotting  to  turn  me  out  of  the 
house. 

However,  home  I  went,  and  just  as  1  approached  the  door 
I  heard  their  voices  in  conversation,  and  they  were  saying 
they  would  ask  me  which  I  would  choose,  to  leave  "Mor- 
monism"  or  the  house;  and  John,  who  was  always  more 
rabid  and  unkind  than  the  rest,  said  he  would  not  even  let  me 
eat  my  supper  until  I  had  decided  what  I  should  do. 

I  walked  boldly  in,  sat  down,  and  commenced  eating  sup- 
per. They  sat  silent  for  a  short  time,  when  finally  Hugh  put 
the  question  to  me  as  to  whether  i  would  renounce  "Mor- 
monism,"  for  if  I  did  not  I  would  have  to  leave  the  house. 

I  again  brought  down  my  old  friend,  the  family  Bible,  and 
said  :  "Hugh,  if  you  will  prove  to  me  from  that  sacred  book 


16  MY  RELATIVES  REFUSE  TO  SPEAK  TO  ME. 

that  I  am  wrong  in  adhering  to  'Mormonism,'  or  rather  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  I  will  renounce  it ;  and  if  I  show  you  that 
you  are  wrong  in  adhering  to  the  Chun'^h  of  Scotland,  tben 
you  should  leave  that. ' ' 

I  then  talked  upon  the  scriptures  and  the  principles  of  the 
gospel,  and  they  could  bring  forward  no  reasonable  objections 
to  what  L  advanced. 

Hugh  rose  to  his  feet  and  said:  "If  father  had  been  alive 
he  would  have  kicked  you  out  of  the  house. ' ' 

I  answered:  "Father  is  now  rejoicing  because  of  my  having 
embraced  the  gospel  of  Jesus. ' ' 

At  this  rejoinder  the  anger  of  my  brothers  increased,  and 
Hugh  used  his  old  argument  of  picking  up  his  hat  and  walking 
out. 

I  was  induced  to  make  this  remark  in  relation  to  my 
father,  because  on  the  previous  Sunday  I  had  heard  the  doc- 
trine of  baptism  and  salvation  for  the  dead  preached  by  Elder 
John  Lyon.  While  listening  to  him  I  was  so  filled  with  joy 
and  gratitude  at  the  prospect  of  doing  something  towards  the 
salvation  of  my  father,  who  had  died  without  a  knowledge  of 
the  gospel,  that  the  tears  chased  each  other  down  my  face 
Hke  rain.  It  was  the  first  time  I  had  heard  the  principles  by 
which  the  grand  chain  which  shall  link  the  great  human 
family  together  will  be  formed. 

Seeing  that  threats  and  abuse  availed  nothing,  making  no 
impression  upon  me,  my  mother  and  brothers  took  another 
course :  they  would  not  speak  to  me. 

Although  I  lived  in  the  same  house  and  ate  at  the  same 
table  with  them,  they  uttered  not  a  word  to  me,  and  would 
not  answer  me  when  I  spoke  to  them. 

Even  my  mother's  heart  seemed  entirely  hardened  towards 
me,  and  it  often  cut  me  keenly  when  she  would  meet  me  on 
the  street  and  pass  without  speaking. 

Notwithstanding  all  this  I  rejoiced  in  the  gospel  exceed- 
ingly, feeling  that  the  cause  of  God  was  more  dear  to  me  than 
my  nearest' relatives. 

On  the  next  Sunday  I  went  to  the  drawer  where  my  best 
suit  was  usually  kept,  and  discovered  that  it  was  gone.  They 
had   )iot  even  left  me   a  clean    shirt.      Nothing    daunted, 


ORDERED  OUT  OF  THE  HOUSE.  17 

however,  I  buttoned  up  my  shabby,  old,  every-day  coat, 
and  marched  off  to  meeting,  feeling  that  I  could  worship 
God  just  as  fervently  and  acceptably  in  an  old  suit  as  in  a 
new  one. 

Instead  of  handing  over  my  wages  to  my  mother  as  I 
usually  did,  I  kept  them  every  week,  and  announced  at 
home  my  intention  of  doing  so  until  my  clothes  were  re- 
turned to  me,  thinking  this  would  induce  them  to  give  them  up. 
However,  I  happened  to  come  home  one  day  at  an  unusual 
time,  and  in  turning  over  some  articles  to  get  something  I 
wanted,  I  came  upon  a  ticket  which  at  once  explained  where 
my  clothes  had  gone.     They  had  been  pawned. 

That  this  term  may  be  understood,  it  may  be  well  to  say 
that  they  were  deposited  in  a  place  where  money  is 
loaned  on  goods,  and  when  the  money  is  returned,  with  an 
additional  sum  as  interest,  the  goods  are  delivered  back  to  the 
owner. 

I  took  this  ticket,  and  with  my  wages  which  I  had  saved, 
and  a  little  money  which  I  had  borrowed,  I  went  to  the  pawn- 
broker's and  got  my  clothes,  and  left  them,  for  safe  keeping, 
at  the  house  of  a  brother  in  the  Church. 

I  dressed  up  on  the  following  Sunday  and  presented  myself 
at  home  at  dinner  time,  when  my  brothers  manifested  no 
small  astonishment  and  a  little  shame  on  seeing  that  I  had 
discovered  their  trick. 

I  had  forgotten  to  say  that  on  several  occasions  after  I  had 
dressed  for  meeting,  my  brothers  would  attempt  to  stop  me 
from  going,  by  main  force,  and  several  times  in  their  efforts  to 
keep  me  in,  had  torn  the  breast  out  of  my  shirt,  but  I  invari- 
ably succeeded  in  getting  out,  and  when  my  shirt  was  torn  I 
would  button  up  my  coat  and  go  to  meeting. 

Matters  went  on  in  this  way  for  over  two  years,  during 
which  time  I  had  been  frequently  told  to  leave  the  house  and 
never  enter  it  again.  I  paid  no  attention  to  this.  On  being 
told  to  go  on  one  occasion,  however,  I  said  the  next  time  I 
was  ordered  off  I  would  go. 

Not  long  afterwards  my  mother  told  me  to  leave  the  house 
forever,  and  I  announced  my  intention  of  doing  so  on  the 
Sunday  following. 


18  MY  MOTHER  DIES. 

When  Saturday  came  I  proceeded  to  tie  up  my  clothes  in 
a  bundle.  No  sooner  did  they  see  me  doing  this  than  they 
seized  my  clothing,  and  tore  up  my  shirts  and  several  other 
articles. 

On  former  occasions  when  I  had  been  thus  abused,  it  was 
my  custom  to  resist,  but  this  time  this  disposition  had 
departed ;  my  heart  was  full ;  I  pitied  them  for  their  blind- 
ness, and  I  felt  like  weeping  tears  of  sorrow. 

1  made  my  way  out  of  the  house  as  best  I  could,  with  my 
wardrobe  reduced  to  a  single  pair  of  pants,  besides  the  clones 
I  wore  at  the  time.  As  I  was  leaving  I  told  them  that  the 
course  they  had  taken  towards  me  would  bring  them  no 
good.  My  mind  was  filled  with  grief  and  I  slept  none  that 
night. 

Six  weeks  after  this  my  mother  burst  a  blood  vessel,  from 
the  effect  of  which  she  never  recovered,  being  ill  from  that 
time  till  her  death,  which  occurred  a  year  afterwards.  This 
broke  up  the  family. 

Hugh  married,  and  my  three  other  brothers,  John,  George- 
and  William  went  to  live  with  him.  Some  time  afterwards 
John  came  to  me  and  told  me  they  had  quarrelled,  and  he 
wished  me  to  go  and  settle  matters  between  the  brothers, 
which  I  did,  and  the  result  was  that  John  lived  apart  from 
the  others. 

William,  who  was  the  most  peaceable  and  amiable  of  my 
brothers,  was  taken  very  ill,  and  one  evening  I  was  impressed 
to  go  and  see  him.  I  found  all  the  members  of  the  family 
gathered  around  him,  as  he  was  Qot  expected  to  live  through 
the  night. 

After  everybody  had  left  the  room  but  myself,  he  said  to 
me,  "Robert,  do  you  believe  I  shall  die  to-night?" 

I  said:   "No,  I  do  not." 

'  'I  ask  you  because  the  others  are  hypocrites,  for  when  I 
ask  whether  they  think  I  will  die,  they  say,  'No,  you  will 
live,'  and  then  I  hear  them  in  the  adjoining  room  arranging 
how  they  will  dress  me  when  I  am  dead." 

He  fell  asleep,  and  I  laid  hands  upon  him  and  administered 
to  him  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  when  he  awoke  he 
was  much  better,  and  he  hved  for  four  months  after  this. 


DRIVEN  FROM  MY  PROPERTY.  19 

This  is  a  little  of  my  first  experience  as  a  Latter-day  Saint. 
Nearly  every  true  disciple  of  Jesus  has  passed  through  cir- 
cumstances that  are  instructive,  although  trying  at  the  time 
they  occur,  and  sometimes  the  relating  of  such  things  has  a 
good  effect,  however  simple  the  narrative  may  be. 


DISOBEDIENCE    TO    COUNSEL 


By    ANSON    CALL. 


DRIVEN  FROM  MY  PROPERTY  BY  THE  MOB — DESIRE  TO 
RETURN  AND  RECOVER  SOME  OF  IT — COUNSELED  BY 
THE  CHURCH  AUTHORITIES  NOT  TO  GO — PERSIST  IN 
GOING — VISIT  A  FRIENDLY  FAMILY — AMIABLE  INTEN- 
TION OF  MY  DEBTORS — MEET  TWO  OF  THEM — THEY 
THREATEN  MY  LIFE— DESPAIR  OF  GETTING  ANYTHING 
AND  TaY  TO  START  HOME— BEATEN  OVER  THE  HEAD 
WITH  A  POLE — BARELY  ESCAPE  WITH  MY  LIFE — 
ASHAMED  TO  HAVE  MY  FRIENDS  KNOW  IT — THE  LES- 
SON  I  LEARNED. 

TO  some  persons  it  may  appear  strange  that  the  Elders  of 
the  Church  in  their  addresses  to  the  Saints,  should  so 
frequently  dwell  upon  the  necessity  of  constant  obedience  to 
counsel.  But  although  this  may  seem  strange,  still  the 
experience  of  both  the  Elders  and  the  Saints  goes  to  prove 
that  "to  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken  than 
the  fat  of  rams." 

The  Bible,  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  Book  of  Doctrine 
and  Covenants  contain  many  instances  of  the  blessings  that 
have  attended  obedience,  and  the  serious  consequences  that 
have  followed  disobedience. 

I  will  not,  however,  refer  to  any  one  of  these  divine  books  j 
but  will  give  my  readers  an  instance  of  the  consequence  of 


20  ATTEMPT  TO  RECOVER  MT  PROPERTY. 

disobedience  whicli  occurred  to  me  in  my  early  experience  in 
the  Church,  in  the  commencement  of  the  year  1839. 

At  that  time  I  was  living  with  the  Saints  in  Far  West, 
though  I  owned  property,  which  I  had  been  driven  from,  at 
the  Three  Forks  of  Grand  River,  distant  from  Far  West 
about  thirty  miles. 

As  I  wished  to  learn  whether  I  could  dispose  of  this 
property  or  not,  I  asked  Father  Joseph  Smith  and  President 
Brigham  Young  for  counsel  about  visiting  Grand  River  for 
this  purpose.  They  counselled  me  not  to  go ;  but  to  stay  at 
home. 

I  had  been  driven  from  my  property  by  the  mob  that  came 
^  against  the  Saints,  and  as  the  Saints  were  obliged  to  leave  the 
State  I  desired  to  go  with  them  to  Illinois.  But  I  did  not 
want  to  be  burdensome  to  others.  If  I  could  sell  my  pro- 
perty on  Grand  River  I  would  not  be,  so  I  concluded  that 
there  could  not  be  much  harm  in  my  going  to  Grand  River, 
and  I  set  oi/t. 

How  I  succeeded  the  following  extract  from  my  journal  will 
show. 

December  31,  1838,  being  anxious  to  obtain  means  to  make 
a  team,  that  I  might  be  able  to  go  with  the  Saints,  I  this 
morning  mounted  the  only  horse  I  had  left,  and  started  for 
the  Three  Forks  of  Grand  River. 

I  arrived  at  my  farm  on  new  year's  day,  and  learned  that  a 
man  by  the  name  of  George  Washington  O'Niel  had  it  in  his 
possession. 

I  passed  on  two  miles  further  to  a  family  by  the  name  of 
Day,  who  had  come  in  from  the  Eastern  States  a  few  weeks 
before  I  was  driven  away.  This  family  had  taken  no  part 
with  the  mob.  I  found  the  lady  at  home,  and  received  from 
her  a  history  of  my  property.  She  informed  me  that  O'Niel 
and  Gulp,  Missouri  mobbers,  had  said  that  if  ever  I  came  to 
the  place  they  would  kill  me ;  and  that  one  Henderson  and 
others  would  help  them. 

When  on  my  farm  I  had  sold  store  goods  to  a  number  of 
the  citizens,  who  werfe  to  pay  me  for  them  at  Christmas.  She 
said  she  had  heard  many  of  them  say  that  if  1  came  there, 
they  would  pay  me  just  as  "Mormons"  should  be  paid. 


A  NARROW  ESCAPE.  21 

Just  at  this  time  O'Niel  and  Gulp  came  into  the  house. 
They  demanded  of  me  my  reasons  for  being  there.  I  told 
them  that  I  was  attending  to  my  business.  They  said  I  had 
no  business  there,  and  if  I  got  away  from  there  I  would  be  smart. 

I  replied  that  I  was  a  white  man,  that  it  was  time 
enough  to  be  afraid  when  I  saw  danger,  and  that  I  should  go 
when  I  pleased. 

They  told  me  that  they  would  as  soon  kill  me  as  a  dog,  and 
that  there  would  be  no  more  notice  taken  of  my  death  than  if 
a  dog  were  killed.     This  I  very  well  understood. 

They  then  told  me  that  they  supposed  I  had  come  to  get 
my  property. 

1  informed  them  I  had ;  to  which  they  replied  that  there 
was  no  property  for  me. 

After  repeated  threatenings  I  became  convinced  that  it  was 
in  vain  to  think  of  obtaining  anything,  and  started  for  my 
horse,  which  was  hitched  at  the  yard  fence  about  five  rods 
from  the  door. 

They  followed  me.  O'Niel  picked  up  the  end  of  a  hoop 
pole  which  Mr.  Day  had  left  there,  he  having  been  hooping  a 
barrel.  With  this  pole  he  struck  me  a  blow  upon  the  head, 
which  nearly  brought  me  to  the  ground.  I  looked  around  for 
a  club  with  which  to  defend  myself,  but  there  was  none  in 
sight.  He  continued  striking  me,  and  would  doubtless 
have  killed  me,  had  it  not  been  for  a  very  thick  woolen  cap  on 
my  head. 

Mrs.  Day  threw  open  the  door  and  cried  murder.  I  ran  for 
the  house  to  get  something,  if  possible,  to  defend  myself 
with ;  but  before  I  reached  the  door,  he  struck  me  repeatedly, 
and  gave  me  one  blow  over  the  eye,  the  scar  of  which  I  carry 
to  this  day. 

As  soon  as  I  got  into  the  house  I  clutched  the  fire  shovel. 
At  that  moment  Mrs.  Day  closed  the  door,  so  that  I  could  not 
get  out  nor  O'Niel  in.  He  and  Gulp  then  passed  the  win- 
dow, on  which  Mrs.  Day  supposed  they  had  started  for  their 
guns,  so  I  mounted  my  horse  and  rode  for  Far  West  as  fast  as 
I  could. 

My  head  and  face  soon  commenced  swelling.  On  my  way 
home  I  washed  myself,  and  resolved  not  to  inform  any  one 


22  ASHAMED  TO  MAKE  KNOWN  WHAT  HAPPENED. 

what  had  happened,  as  Father  Smith  and  President  Young 
had  both  told  me  not  to  go. 

I  reached  home  about  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  and  went  to 
bed  without  making  a  light.  In  the  morning  I  arose,  and 
just  as  soon  as  I  got  out  of  bed,  I  fell  upon  the  floor. 
My  wife  was  alarmed  and  screamed.  I  told  her  what  had 
happened ;  but  told  her  to  keep  the  matter  from  my  family. 
Father  Smith,  however,  soon  heard  of  the  occurrence,  and 
came  to  see  me.  He  hoped,  he  said,  that  the  lesson  would  do 
me  good,  and  that  he  was  glad  that  I  was  not  quite  killed. 

Had  I  obeyed  the  words  "do  not  go,  but  stay  at  home,"  I 
should  not  have  fallen  into  this  trouble.  May  you  who  read 
this  be  wise,  and  in  this  particular,  profit  by  my  experience. 


LORENZO    DOW   YOUNG'S 
NARRATIVE. 


CHAPTEE   I. 

MY  mother's  PROMISE — CHASED  BY  WOLVES — A  REMARK- 
ABLE DREAM — THROWN  FROM  A  HORSE — PROVIDEN- 
TIALLY SAVED — RELIGIOUS  REVIVAL — PREACHERS  TRY  IN 
VAIN  TO  CONVERT  ME — RIDICULED  FOR  NOT  PLAYING 
AT  CARDS— READ  INFJDEL  WORKS  -THEIR  EFFECT-^A 
VISION. 

I  WAS  born  October  19th,  1807,  in  the  town  of  Smyrna, 
Chenango  County,  New  York. 
My  mother  was  afflicted  many  years  with  consumption.  I 
remember  her  as  a  fervent,  praying  woman.  She  used,  fre- 
quently, to  call  me  bo  her  bedside  and  counsel  me  to  be  a  good 
man,  that  the  Lord  might  bless  my  future  life.  On  one  occa- 
sion, she  told  me  that  if  *I  would  not  neglect  to  pray  to  my 


MY  mother's*  DEATH.  23 

Heavenly  Father,  He  would  send  a  guardian  angel  to  protect 
me  in  the  dangers  to  which  1  might  be  exposed. 

She  had  so  trained  me  to  trust  in  Grod,  that,  even  in  my 
early  youth,  I  seemed  capable  of  grasping,  in  my  faith,  the 
prophetic  promise  she  had  made.  It  sank  deep  into  my 
heart,  and  ever  since  has  been  an  anchor  of  hope  in  the  diffi- 
culties and  dangers  to  which  I  have  been  exposed. 

This  pious,  faithful,  friend  and  mother,  drooped  and  died 
on  the  11th  of  June,  1814. 

Soon  after  her  death,  my  father  broke  up  housekeeping, 
and  I  was  sent  about  sixty  miles  to  live  with  my  brother-in- 
law,  John  P.  Grreen,  near  Cayuga  Bridge. 

It  was  a  marshy,  malarious  country,  and  I  was  taken  very 
sick  with  fever  and  ague,  with  which  I  suffered  severely.  In 
the  fall  of  1815,  we  removed  to  Tyrone,  Schuyler  County. 
In  the  meantime,  my  father  had  taken  up  some  land  on  which 
to  make  a  home,  about  six  miles  from  where  Mr.  Green  lived. 
This  country,  at  that  time,  was  new,  and  there  was  nothing 
but  a  dense  forest  between  Mr.  G-reen's  house  and  my 
father's.  The  wolves  were  very  numerous  in  this  forest.  At 
one  time,  several  of  them  chased  me  to  Mr.  Grreen' s  house, 
and  I  seemed  to  barely  escape  with  my  life. 

During  the  winter  of  1815-16,  in  company  with  my  brothers, 
Joseph,  Phinehas  and  Brigham,  I  worked  for  my  father  and 
assisted  him  to  clear  off  some  land. 

In  the  autupin  of  1816,  when  about  nine  years  old,  I  had  a 
peculiar  dream.  I  thought  I  stood  in  an  open,  clear  space  of 
ground,  and  saw  a  plain,  fine  road,  leading,  at  an  angle  of 
45°  degrees,  into  the  air,  as  far  as  I  could  see.  I  heard  a 
noise  like  a  carriage  in  rapid  motion,  at  what  seemed  the 
u>per  end  of  the  road.  In  a  moment  it  came  in  sight.  It 
was  drawn  by  a  pair  of  beautiful,  white  horses.  The  carriage 
and  harness  appeared  brilliant  with  gold.  The  horses  traveled 
with  the  speed  of  the  wind.  It  was  made  manifest  to  me 
that  the  Savior  was  in  the  carriage,  and  that  it  was  driven  by 
His  servant.  The  carriage  stopped  near  me,  and  the  Savior 
inquired  where  my  brother  Brigham  was.  After  informing 
Him,  He  further  inquired  about  my  other  brothers,  and  our 
father.      After  I  had  answered  His  inquiries,  He  stated  that 


24  THROWN   OFF  A  HORSE. 

He  wanted  us  all, but  He  especially  wanted  my  brother  Brigham. 
The  team  then  turned  right  about,  and  returned  on  the  road 
it  had  come. 

I  awoke  at  once,  and  slept  no  more  that  night.  I  felt 
frightened,  and  supposed  we  were  all  going  to  die.  I  saw  no 
other  solution  to  the  dream.  It  was  a  shadowing  of  our 
future  which  I  was  then  in  no  condition  to  discern. 

In  the  morning  I  told  my  father  the  dream,  and  my  fears 
that  we  were  going  to  die.  He  comforted  me  with  the  assur- 
ance that  he  did  not  think  my  interpretation  was  correct. 

In  the  winter  of  1817-18,  I  went  to  live  with  my  brother- 
in-law,  James  Little,  in  the  town  of  Aurelius,  Cayuga  County, 
New  York.  I  remained  there  about  five  j^ears,  learning  the 
business  of  a  gardener  and  fruit  raiser. 

In  the  summer  of  my  twelfth  year,  I  was  placed  upon 
a  race  horse  by  Mr.  Little,  and  sent  on  an  errand.  The 
animal  was  too  spirited  for  a  boy  of  my  age  to  safely  ride.  It 
became  frightened  and  unmanageable.  It  turned  so  rapidly 
around  that  I  was  thrown  out  of  the  saddle.  As  I  fell  my 
bare  foot  slipped  through  the  iron  stirrup,  where  I  hung 
with  my  head  just  touching  the  ground.  With  my  left  hand, 
I  still  grasped  the  bridle  rein,  on  that  side,  firmly.  The  horse 
endeavored  to  kick  me,  but,  fortunately,  did  not  succeed  on 
account  of  my  being  too  close  to  him.  My  hold  on  the  bridle 
rein  prevented  the  animal  from  running  away  and  caused  him 
to  whirl  around  almost  in  a  circle.  • 

In  danger  we  often  think  with  great  rapidity.  I  compre- 
hended my  situation  in  a  moment,  and,  at  first,  could  see  no 
way  of  escape  from  having  my  brains  dashed  out.  But,  as  I 
hung,  I  was  suddenly  impressed  to  get  hold  of  the  stirrup 
with  my  right  hand,  and-  make  an  efibrt  to  raise  myself  up, 
so  as  to  get  my  foot  loose  from  it.  By  a  great  effort  I  suc- 
ceetled  in  drawing  myself  up,  and  slipping  the  stirrup  over 
my  foot.     I  then  let  go  all  hold  and  fell  to  the  ground. 

The  horse  went  at  full  speed  for  home  and  his  stable.  I 
got  up  and  was  not  much  hurt. 

The  promise  my  mother  made  me  flashed  into  my  mind, 
and  I  felt  thankful  to  the  Lord  that  I  had  been  preserved 
from  serious  harm  by  a  kind  providence. 


.    ATTEND  A  REVIVAL  MEETING.  25 

In  the  winter  of  1819-20,  I  left  Aurelius  and  went  about 
twenty  miles  to  Hector,  Schuyler  County.  A  Methodist 
revival  occurred  in  that  town,  and  religious  excitement  ran  so 
high  that  it  became  fashionable  to  make  a  profession  of  relig- 
ion. 

So  far  as  I  knew,  every  young  person  in  the  neighborhood 
but  mj^self  professed  to  receive  "a  saving  change  of  heart" 
before  the  close  of  the  revival 

As  was  usual  during  such  periods  of  religious  excitement, 
meetings  were  held  nightly.  In  these  meetings  it  was  the 
custom  to  request  those  who  were  "seeking  religion,"  to 
come  forward  to  some  seat  reserved  for  the  purpose,  to  be 
prayed  for. 

I  was  somewhat  affected  by  the  intense  religious  feeling. 
One  evening,  I  attended  a  meeting  presided  over  by  Elder 
Gilmore,  the  leading  minister.  Two  or  three  other  preachers 
were  also  present.  The  usual  invitation  was  given  for  peni- 
tents to  come  forward  to  the  'anxious  seat." 

Some  time  was  spent  in  prayer,  when  all  who  had  come 
forward,  except  myself,  professed  to  have  a  "change  of 
heart."  The  meeting  was  closed,  and  Elder  Gilmore  proposed 
that  those  who  were  willing  to  do  so,  should  retire  to  a  private 
house  with  me,  and  continue  in  prayer  till  I  was  converted. 

As  proposed,  we  retired  to  a  neighboring  house,  where  the 
praying  continued  until  two  o'olock  in  the  morning. 

Elder  Gilmore  then  asked  me  if  I  had  not  received  a 
"change  of  heart." 
I  replied  that  I  had  not  realized  any  "change." 
After  so  much  fruitless  labor,  they  were  evidently  disposed 
to  give  me  up  as  a  reprobate.  Elder  Gilmore  told  me  that  I 
had  sinned  away  the  day  of  grace,  and  my  damnation  was 
sure.  He  asserted  that  he  would  never  offer  another  prayer 
for  me. 

Although  religious  in  my  nature,  even  at  that  early  age, 
sectarian  religion  seemed  empty  and  void. 

The  following  morning,  I  left  the  scene  of  this  religious 
excitement  in  Hector  and  returned  to  Cayuga  County,  about 
three  miles  from  Auburn.  There  I  went  to  work  for  Mr. 
Monroe,  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  blacksmith.     He  carried  on 

1* 


;  26  REFUSE  TO  PLAY  CARDS. 

considerable  business,  and  employed  a  number  of  young  men 
and  apprentices. 

One  evening,  Mr.  Monroe  and  the  workmen  gathered 
around  the  center  table,  in  the  sitting  room,  to  while  away 
the  evening  in  a, game  of  cards.  Mr.  Monroe  invited  me  to 
participate. 

My  father  had  counseled  me  never  to  play  a  game  of  cards. 
"Not,"  said  he,  "that  there  i^  any  particular  harm  in  play- 
ing a  game  of  cards,  but  card-playing  has  a  tendency  to  lead 
those  who  follow  it  into  other  vices. ' ' 

I  determined,  at  the  time,  to  keep  his  counsel  should  it 
cost  me  my  situation.  Mr.  Monroe  did  not  appear  disposed 
to  receive  any  apology  for  not  accepting  his  invitation.  I 
arose,  took  a  Bible  that  was  near  me,  and  read  during  the 
evening  while  the  remainder  of  the  company  played  cards. 

The  most  of  Mr.  Monroe's  workmen  were  inclined  to 
infidelity,  and  the  course  I  took  that  evening,  afterwards 
brought  upon  me  much  annoyance  and  ridicule . 
,  Although  infidel  in  principle,  Mr.  Monroe  was  kind  to 
those  around  him,  and  manifested  that  kindness  to  me  as 
well  as  others.  He  placed  in  my  hands  several  infidel  books. 
Among  them,  I  recollect  the  writings  of  Voltaire  and  Thomas 
Payne.  My  experience  at  this  time,  taught  me  that  skeptical 
works  cannot  be  read  without  leaving  their  impression  on  the 
mind.  A  continuation  of  reading  them  must,  eventually,  lead 
to  confirmed  infidelity. 

The  teachings  of  my  pious  parents  had  given  me  consider- 
able faith  in  God,  and  I  enjoyed  some  of  His  Spirit.  It  has 
since  been  evident  to  mo,  that  the  reading  of  those  infidel 
books  stirred  up  an  antagonism  in  me  between  the  Spirit  of 
truth  and  the  spirit  of  skepticism.  The  struggle  between 
them,  in  my  bosom,  continued  about  a  year,  and  was  a  source 
of  great  affliction  to  me.  The  Lord,  through  His  Spirit,  was 
trying  to  save  me  from  error  and  darkness. 

I  would  advise  all  my  young  friends,  and  especially  those 
who  have  had  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  of  truth,  to 
never,  by  any  act  of  theirs,  invite  the  spirit  of  infidelity  into 
their  hearts,  lest  they  fall  away  into  darkness,  and  go  down  to 
death. 


Disabled  for  work  at  blacksmithing.  21 

I  remained  with  Mr.  Monroe  nearly  two  years.  I  injured 
myself  lifting  a  log,  and  it  was  evident  that  I  could  not  again 
work  at  the  blacksmith  business  for  some  time.  For  this 
reason  I  left  Mr.  Monroe,  and  went  to  visit  Mr.  J.  P.  Green, 
who  lived  in  Watertown,  about  one  hundred  miles  from 
Auburn,  in  Jefferson  County. 

For  sometime  my  health  continued  poor.  One  day  I  lay  on 
a  bed  to  rest  where  I  could  see  the  family  in  their  ordinary 
occupations.  All  at  once  I  heard  the  most  beautiful  music. 
I  soon  discovered  from  whence  it  came.  Standing  side  by 
side,  on  the  foot  board  of  the  beadstead  on  which  I  lay,  were 
two  beautiful,  seraph-like  beings,  about  the  size  of  children 
seven  or  eight  years  old.  They  were  dressed  in  white,  and 
appeared  surpassingly  pure  and  heavenly.  1  felt  certain  that 
I  was  fully  awake,  and  these  juvenile  personages  were  realis- 
tic to  me.  With  their  disappearance  the  music  ceased.  I 
turned  and  asked  two  of  my  sisters,  who  were  in  the  room,  if 
they  had  not  heard  the  music.  I  was  much  surprised  to 
learn  that  they  had  heard  nothing. 


CHAPTER    II. 

MARRIAGE— A  VISION  OF  OTHER  WORLDS— MY  RELUCTANCE 
AT  RETURNING  TO  A  MORTAL  EXISTENCE — A  PROMISE 
WITH  CONDITIONS— I  EXHORT  OTHERS  TO  FAITHFUL- 
NESS. 

WHILE  at  Watertown,  I  married,  and  afterwards  removed  to 
Mendon,  Monroe  County.  At  this  place  I  had  a  remark- 
able dream  or  vision.  I  fancied  that  I  died.  In  a  moment  I 
was  out  of  the  body,  and  fully  conscious  that  I  had  made  the 
change.  At  once,  a  heavenly  messenger,  or  guide,  was  by 
me.  I  thought  and  acted  as  naturally  as  I  had  done  in  the 
body,  and  all  my  sensations  seemed  as  complete  without  as 
with  it.  The  personage  with  me  was  dressed  in  the  purest 
white.  For  a  short  time  I  remained  in  the  room  where  my 
body  lay.      My  sister  Fanny  (who  was  living  with  me  when  I 


28  A  VISION. 

liad  this  dream)  and  my  wife  were  weeping  bitterly  over  my 
death.  I  sympathized  with  them  deeply  in  their  sorrow,  and 
desired  to  comfort  them.  I  realized  that  I  was  under  the 
control  of  the  man  who  was  by  me.  I  begged  of  him  the 
privilege  of  speaking  to  them,  but  he  said  he  could  not  grant 
it.     My  guide,  for  so  I  will  call  him,  said  "Now  let  us  go." 

Space  seemed  annihilated.  Apparently  we  went  up,  and 
almost  instantly  were  in  another  world.  It  was  of  such 
magnitude  that  I  formed  no  conception  of  its  size.  It  was 
filled  with  innumerable  hosts  of  beings,  who  seemed  as  naturally 
human  as  those  among  whom  I  had  lived.  With  some  I  had 
been  acquainted  in  the  world  I  had  just  left.  My  guide 
informed  me  that  those  I  saw  had  not  yet  arrived  at  their  final 
abiding  place.  All  kinds  of  people  seemed  mixed  up  pro- 
miscuously, as  they  are  in  this  world.  Their  surroundings  and 
manner  indicated  that  they  were  in  a  state  of  expectation, 
and  awaiting  some  event  of  considerable  moment  to  them. 

As  we  went  on  from  this  place,  my  guide  said,  "I  will  now 
show  you  the  condition  of  the  damned."  Pointing  with  his 
hand,  he  said,.  "Look  !" 

I  looked  down  a  distance  which  appeared  incomprehensible 
to  me.  I  gazed  on  a  vast  region  filled  with  multitudes  of 
beings.  I  could  see  everything  with  the  most  minute  distinct- 
ness. The  multitude  of  people  I  saw  were  miserable  in  the 
extreme.  "These,"  said  my  guide,  "are  they  who  have 
rejected  the  means  of  salvation,  that  were  placed  within  their 
reach,  and  have  brought  upon  themselves  the  condemnation 
you  behold." 

The  expression  of  the  countenances  of  these  sufferers 
was  clear  and  distinct.  They  indicated  extreme  remorse, 
sorrow  and  dejection.  They  appeared  conscious  that  none 
but  them^selves  were  to  blame  for  their  forlorn  condition. 

This  scene  afi'ected  me  much,  and  I  could  not  refrain  from 
weeping. 

Again  my  guide  said,  "Now  let  us  go." 

In  a  moment  we  were  at  the  gate  of  a  beautiful  city.  A 
porter  opened  it  and  we  passed  in.  The  city  was  grand  and 
beautiful  beyond  anything  that  I  can  describe.  It  was  clothed 
in  the  purest  light,  brilliant  but  not  glaring  or  unpleasant. 


A  YISION.  29 

The  people,  men  and  women,  in  their  employments  and 
surroundings,  seemed  contented  and  happy.  I  knew  those  I 
met  without  being  told  who  they  were.  Jesus  and  the  ancient 
apostles  were  there.  I  saw  and  spoke  with  the  apostle  Paul. 
My  guide  would  not  permit  me  to  pause  much  by  the  way, 
but  rather  hurried  me  on  through  this  place  to  another  still 
higher  but  connected  with  it.  It  was  still  more  beautiful  and 
glorious  than  anything  I  had  before  seen.  To  me  its  extent 
and  magnificence  were  incomprehensible. 

My  guide  pointed  to  a  mansion  which  excelled  everything 
else  in  perfection  and  beauty.  It  was  clothed  with  fire  and 
intense  light.  It  appeared  a  fountain  of  light,  throwing 
brilliant  scintillations  of  glory  all  around  it,  and  I  could  con- 
ceive of  no  limit  to  which  these  emanations  extended.  Said 
my  guide,  "That  is  where  Grod  resides. "  He  permitted  me 
to  enter  this  glorious  city  but  a  short  distance.  Without 
speaking,  he  motioned  that  we  would  retrace  our  steps. 

We  were  soon  in  the  adjoining  city.  There  I  met  my 
mother,  and  a  sister  who  died  when  six  or  seven  years  old. 
These  I  knew  at  sight  without  an  introduction. 

After  mingling  with  the  pure  and  happy  beings  of  this 
place  a  short  time,  my  guide  said  again,  "Let  us  go." 

We  were  soon  through  the  gate  by  which  we  had  entered 
the  city.     My  guide  then  said,  "Now  we  will  return." 

I  could  distinctly  see  the  world  from  which  we  had  first 
come.  It  appeared  to  be  a  vast  distance  below  us.  To  me, 
it  looked  cloudy,  dreary  and  dark.  I  was  filled  with  sad  disap- 
pointment, I  might  say  horror,  at  the  idea  of  returning  there. 
I  supposed  1  had  come  to  stay  in  that  heavenly  place,  which 
I  had  so  long  desired  to  see;  up  to  this  time,  the  thought  had 
not  occurred  to  me  that  I  would  be  required  to  return. 

1  plead  with  my  guide  to  let  me  remain.  He  replied  that 
I  was  permitted  to  only  visit  these  heavenly  cities,  for  I  had 
not  filled  my  mission  in  yonder  world ;  therefore  I  must  return 
and  take  my  body.  If  I  was  faithful  to  the  grace  of  Grod 
which  would  be  imparted  to  me,  if  I  would  bear  a  faithful 
testimony  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  of  a  sacrificed  and 
risen  Savior,  and  His  atonement  for  man,  in  a  little  time  I 
should  be  permitted  to  return  and  reiSain. 


30  I  EXHORT  PEOPLE  TO  FAITHFULNESS. 

These  words  gave  me  comfort  and  inspired  my  bosom  with 
the  principle  of  faith.  To  me,  these  things  were  real.  I  felt 
that  a  great  mission  had  been  given  me,  and  I  accepted  it  in 
my  heart.  The  responsibility  of  that  mission  has  rested  on 
me  from  that  time  until  now. 

We  returned  to  my  house.  Tljere  I  found  my  body,  and  it 
appeared  to  me  dressed  for  burial.  It  was  with  great  reluc- 
tance that  I  took  possession  of  it  to  resume  the  ordinary 
avocations  of  life,  and  endeavor  to  fill  the  important  mission 
I  had  received.  I  awoke  and  found  myself  in  my  bed.  I  lay 
and  meditated  the  remainder  of  the  night  on  what  had  been 
shown  me. 

Call  it  a  dream,  or  vision,  or  what  I  may,  what  I  saw 
was  as  real  to  every  sense  of  my  being  as  anything  I  have 
passed  through.  The  memory  of  it  is  clear  and  distinct 
with  me  to-day,  after  the  lapse  of  fifty  years  with  its  many 
changes. 

From  that  time,  although  belonging  to  no  church,  the 
Spirit  was  with  me  to  testify  to  the  sufferings  and  atone- 
ment of  the  Savior.  As  I  had  opportunity,  I  continually 
exhorted  the  people,  in  public  and  private,  to  exercise  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  repent  of  their  sins  and  live  a 
life  of  righteousness  and  good  works. 


I  HOLD  MEETINGS — MAKE  MANY  CONVERTS.  SI 


CHAPTER   III. 

I  TAKE  TO  PREACHING — MAKE  MANY  CONVERTS — REFUSE 
TO  BAPTIZE  THEM— THEY  ARE  BAPTIZED  BY  A  CAMP- 
BELLITE  PREACHER—  URGED  TO  JOIN  THE  CAMPBELLITES 
— REFUSE,  AND  THE  DEVIL  TEMPTS  ME— I  GRIEVE  THE 
SPIRIT,  BUT  REGAIN  IT  THROUGH  FASTING  AND  PRAYER 
— HEAR  THE  GOSPFL — VISIT  FROM  ELDER  GIFFORD— HE 
IS  THREATENED  WITH  TAR  AND  FEATHERS — MY  BROTHER 
AND  I  DEFEND   HIM. 

IN  the  fall  of  1828, 1  returned  to  Hector,  Schuyler  County,  New 
York.  Quite  a  number  of  people  lived  there  of  the  Camp- 
bellite  faith.  'Squire  Chase,  a  prominent  man  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, who  had  been  a  preacher  of  the  sect,  said  that  they 
were  cold  in  religion  and  had  not  held  any  meetings  for  several 
months.  I  had  been  there  but  a  few  days,  when  I  went  with 
him  about  two  miles  to  a  Methodist  meeting.  This  occurred 
in  the  month  of  November. 

Up  to  this  time  I  had  joined  no  church,  although  I  had 
professed  religion,  attended  meetings,  and  preached  when  I 
had  an  opportunity. 

On  my  return,  I  remarked  to  Mr.  Chase,  '*Why  cannot  we 
have  meetings  in  our  neighborhood  as  well  as  to  go  so  far  to 
them?" 

He  replied,  '*We  are  all  dead  there  ;  we  would  have  meet- 
ings but  I  do  not  feel  like  preaching.  But  if  you  will  do  the 
preaching,  I  will  appoint  a  meeting." 

He  did  so.  The  first  two  meetings  but  few  attended.  The 
third  meeting  the  house  was  crowded.  Finally,  meetings 
were  held  nearly  every  night  in  the  week,  and  were  well 
attended.  A  reformation  started  among  the  people,  and 
there  were  quite  a  number  of  religious  converts.  Campbellite 
principles  had  long  prevailed  in  the  neighborhood.  The  con- 
verts desired  baptism,  as  that  was  a  prominent  principle  in 
the  Campbellite  faith.     Mr.  Chase  urged  me  to  perform  the 


32  URGED  TO  JOIN  THE  CAMPBELLITES. 

ordinance.  I  excused  myself  by  telling  him  that  I  had  never 
joined  any  religious  denomination,  and  did  not  feel  authorized 
to  administer  it.  I  finally  utterly  refused  to  do  so.  He  then 
sent  forty  or  fifty  miles  for  Elder  Brown,  a  regular  Campbellite 
preacher. 

He  came  and  baptized  about  sixty  converts  and  organized  a 
branch  of  the  Campbellite  church  out  of  the  fruits  of  my 
labors.  He  quite  exhausted  his  persuasive  powers  to  induce 
me  to  join  the  Campbellite  church,  to  take  a  circuit  and  go 
to  preaching. 

I  told  him  I  would  not  preach  his  doctrines.  If  I  preached 
at  all,  I  should  preach  the  whole  Bible  as  I  understood  it. 

He  said  I  could  do  so,  for  he  did  not  think  I  would  preach 
anything  wrong. 

A  spirit  worked  with  me  to  do  all  the  good  I  could,  but  not 
to  join  any  religious  denomination.  It  prevailed  within  me 
against  all  temptation  this  time.  Perhaps  the  guardian 
angel,  promised  by  my  mother,  watched  over  my  spiritual  as 
well  as  temporal  welfare. 

I  think,  at  the  time  of  this  reformation,  I  had  as  much  of 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  with  me  as  I  could  well  enjoy  in  my 
ignorance  of  the  gospel  in  its  purity.  I  was  full  of  the  testi- 
mony of  the  truth  as  I  understood  it. 

This  reformation  in  Hector,  was  a  means  of  temptation 
to  me.  I  had  preached  and  labored  with  my  might  to  lead 
the  people  to  the  truth,  and  Elder  Brown  had  stepped 
in  and  reaped  the  results  of  my  labors.  Because  I  would  not 
join  the  Campbellite  church  and  preach  for  them,  I  was 
entirely  thrown  aside.  The  adversary  would  reason  with  me 
thus :  "What  is  the  use  of  all  your  preaching?  It  does  not 
amount  to  anything  to  you.  You  had  better  attend  to  your 
own  business  and  let  such  nonsense  alone." 

I  listened  to  these  suggestions  until  I  had  grieved  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  which  I  had  enjoyed.  I  no  longer  had  the  Spirit 
to  pray  or  to  exhort  the  people  to  lives  of  righteousness.  I 
was  in  this  condition  for  several  months. 

In  all  this  lethargy  and  darkness,  I  knew  there  was  such  a 
thing  as  joy  in  the  Spirit  of  God — that  in  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  there  was  light  and  peace.      I  knew  I  had  accepted  a 


THE  PROMPTINGS   OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT.  33 

mission  to  bear  this  testimony  while  I  should  remain  on  the 
earth. 

Knowing  these  things,  I  became,  in  time,  alarmed  at  my 
conditon,  I  feared  that  the  Lord  had  forsaken  me.  I  humbled 
myself  before  Him  in  fasting  and  prayer.  I  promised  Him 
that  if  He  would  return  His  good  Spirit,  I  would  never 
again  reject  its  suggestions. 

Matters  continued  thus  with  me  for  several  weeks.  In  one 
of  my  seasons  of  prayer  and  supplication,  I  sensibly  felt  that 
I  was  again  visited  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  I  was  encouraged  to 
resume  my  labors  in  exhorting  the  people  whenever  an  oppor- 
tunity was  presented.  I  went  from  home  on  the  Sabbath 
and  held  meetings  in  different  places.  I  was  employed  in 
this  way  when  I  first  saw  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  when 
the  gospel  was  preached  to  me. 

This,  and  other  experiences,  have  convinced  me  that  when 
we  question  the  Holy  Spirit  it  is  likely  to  be  grieved,  and 
leave  us  to  ourselves.  Then  will  our  darkness  be  greater 
than  if  we  had  never  enjoyed  its  influences.  Perhaps  this 
incident  in  my  life  may  suggest  wisdom  to  others. 

In  November,  1829,  I  removed  to  a  place  called  Hector 
Hill.  In  February,  1831,  my  father,  my  brothers  Joseph  and 
Brigham,  and  Heber  C.  Kimball  came  to  my  house.  They 
brought  with  them  the  Book  of  Mormon.  They  were  on 
their  way  to  visit  some  Saints  in  Pennsylvania.  Through  fear 
of  being  deceived,  I  was  quite  cautious  in  religious  matter?. 
I  read  and  compared  the  Book  of  Mormon  with  the  Bible, 
and  fasted  and  prayed  that  I  might  come  to  a  knowledge  of 
the  truth.  The  Spirit  seemed  to  say,  "This  is  the  way;  walk 
ye  in  it."  This  was  all  the  testimony  I  could  get  at  the  time; 
it  was  not  altogether  satisfactory- 

The  following  May,  Elder  Levi  Grifford  came  into  the 
neighborhood,  and  desired  to  preach.  My  brother,  John, 
belonged  to  the  Methodist  church,  and  had  charge  of  their 
meeting  house  which  was  in  the  neighborhood.  I  obtained 
from  him  permission  for  Elder  Grifford  to  preach  in  it.  The 
appointment  was  circulated  for  a  meeting  the  same  evening. 

This  was  on  Saturday  evening,  and  the  circuit  preacher 
of  that  district  was  to  hold  a  meeting  there  on  Sunday. 
2 


34  ATTEND  A  MEETING  HELD  BY  A  "mORMON"  ELDER. 

Elder  Midbury,  the  circuit  preacher,  attended  the  meeting. 
The  house  was  crowded.  As  soon  as  Elder  Grifford  had  con- 
cluded his  discourse,  Elder  Midbury  arose  to  his  feet  and 
said:  "Brethren,  sisters  and  friends:  I  have  been  a  preacher 
of  the  gospel  for  twenty-two  years ;  I  do  not  know  that  I 
have  been  the  means  of  converting  a  sinner,  or  reclaiming  a 
poor  backslider;  but  this  I  do  know,  that  the  doctrine  the 
stranger  has  preached  to  us  to-night  is  a  deception,  that  Joe 
Smith  is  a  false  prophet,  and  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is 
from  hell." 

After  talking  awhile  in  this  strain,  he  concluded.  I  imme- 
diately arose  to  my  feet  and  asked  the  privilege  of  speaking, 
which  was  granted.  I  said  that  Elder  Midbury,  in  his 
remarks,  entirely  ignored  the  possibility  of  more  revelation, 
and  acknowledged  that  he  had  been  a  preacher  of  the  gospel 
for  twenty-two  years,  without  knowing  that  he  had  been  the 
means  of  converting  a  sinner,  or  of  reclaiming  a  poor  backslider. 
But  still  he  claimed  to  know  that  the  doctrine  he  had  just  heal-d 
was  false,  that  Joseph  Smith  was  an  impostor,  and  that  the 
Book  of  Mormon  was  from  hell.  "Now,  how  is  it  possible,"  I 
asked,  "for  him  to  know  these  things  unless  he  has  received  a 
revelation?" 

When  I  sat  down  a  strong  man,  by  the  name  of  Thompson, 
who  was  well  known  in  the  neighborhood  as  a  beligerent  char- 
acter, stepped  up  to  Elder  Grifford  and  demanded  the  proofs 
of  the  authenticity  of  the  Book  of  Mormon. 

Elder  Gifford  replied,  "I  have  said  all  I  care  about  saying 
to-night." 

Then  said  Mr.  Thompson,  "we  will  take  the  privilege 
of  clothing  you  with  a  coat  of  tar  and  feathers,  and  riding 
you  out  of  town  on  a  rail. ' ' 

In  the  meantime,  four  or  five  others  of  like  character  came 
to  the  front. 

Acting  under  the  impulse  of  the  moment — true  to  the 
instincts  of  my  nature  to  protect  the  weak  against  the  strong, 
I  stepped  between  Elder  Gifford  and  Mr.  Thompson.  Looking 
the  latter  in  the  eye,  I  said,  "Mr.  Thompson,  you  cannot  lay 
your  hand  on  this  stranger  to  harm  a  hair  of  his  head,  with- 
out you  do  it  over  my  dead  body. ' ' 


DEFENDING  A  *'mORMON"  ELDER.  35 

He  replied  by  mere  threats  of  violence,  which  brought  uiy 
brother  John  to  his  feet. 

With  a  voice  and  manner,  that  carried  with  it  a  power 
greater  than  I  had  ever  seen  manifested  in  him  before,  and, 
I  might  say,  since,  he  commanded  Mr.  Thompson  and  party 
to  take  their  seats.  He  continued,  "Grentlemen,  if  you  offer  to 
lay  a  hand  on  Mr.  GrifFord,  you  shall  pass  through  my  hands, 
after  which  I  think  you  will  not  want  any  more  to-night." 
Mr.  Thompson  and  party  quieted  down  and  then  took  their 
seats. 

Since  then  the  Elders  have  passed  through  so  many  similar 
experiences,  that  they  have  ceased  to  be  a  novelty.  That 
there  should  be  such  a  powerful  antagonism  of  spirits  man- 
ifesting themselves  in  muscle,  in  a  Christian  church,  indi- 
cated a  new  era  in  religious  influences. 


CHAPTER    lY. 

CONVERTED  —  START  FOR  MISSOURI — CALLED  TO  TREACH 
"MORMONISM"  without  BEING  BAPTIZED  —  JOIN  THE 
CHURCH — VOYAGE  TO  PITTSBURG —PREACH  THE  GOSPEL 
AND  ESTABLISH  A  BRANCH — EXPERIENCE  AS  A  TRUNK- 
MAKER MISSION  TO   NEW  YORK — SPEAK   IN  TONGUES 

EFFECTS    OF   PREACHING   COUNTERACTED    BY    LIES— SEC- 
OND VOYAGE  DOWN   THE   OHIO— PROVIDENTIAL   DELAY. 

IN  the  spring  of  1831  there  was  a  two-days  meeting  of  the 
Saints,  about  six  miles  from  where  I  lived,  in  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania.  I  attended  it,  and  became  fully  convinced  of  the 
divine  origin  of  the  latter-day  work. 

In  the  summer  of  1831,  I  settled  up  my  business  and 
started  for  the  latter-day  Zion,  in  the  State  of  Missouri.  On 
my  way  out  of  the  State  of  New  York,  I  visited  Elder  J.  P. 
Green,  in  the  town  of  Avon. 

As  I  arrived  there  on  Saturday,  he  said,  '  'Brother  Lorenzo, 
I  am  very  glad  you  have  come.     I  have  an  appointment  to 


36  PREACH  "mORMONISM"  WITHOUT  BEING  BAPTIZED. 

preach  at  10  o'clock,  eight  miles  from  here,  but  I  am  very 
unwell  and  not  able  to  fill  it.     1  want  you  to  do  it  for  me. ' ' 

I  rather  ridiculed  the  idea,  saying,  "You  want  me  to  preach 
as  a  Mormon  Elder,  when  I  have  not  even  joined  the  Church?" 

He  still  desired  me  to  go,  and  said,  '  'it  will  be  all  right. ' ' 

E.  M.  Green,  the  son  of  J.  P.  Green,  accompanied  me, 
with  a  revelation  on  the  organization  of  the  Chuch,  which  his 
father  directed  him  to  read  to  the  congregation. 

Arriving  at  the  place  appointed,  I  found  the  house  full, 
and  a  Baptist  preacher  in  the  stand.  I  introduced  myself  to 
the  minister;  he  invited  the  congregation  to  sing,  and  I  prayed, 
and  E.  M.  Green  read  the  revelation.  I  arose  and  commenced 
to  speak.  The  good  Spirit  was  with  me,  and  I  had  much 
freedom.  I  talked  about  one  hour  and  a  quarter.  At  the 
close  I  gave  any  one  the  privilege  of  speaking  who  wished  to. 
The  Baptist  minister  arose  and  bore  his  testimony,  that  what 
they  had  heard  was  true  Bible  doctrine,  and  could  not  be 
questioned. 

After  meeting,  several  persons  gathered  around  me  and 
wished  to  be  baptized.  Knowing  that  I  had  not  received 
authority  to  administer  the  ordinance,  1  put  them  off,  telling 
them  that  when  Elder  Green  came  to  fill  the  next  appoint- 
ment that  had  been  made  for  him,  he  would  baptize  them. 
Among  those  who  requested  baptism,  at  that  time,  were  the 
brothers  Joseph  and  Chandler  Holbrook,  and  Mary  Ann 
Angell,  now  the  relict  of  President  Brigham  Young. 

On  the  following  morning  I  told  Elder  Green  that,  inasmuch 
as  I  had  believed  in  the  gospel  for  some  time,  and  had  preached 
as  a  "Mormon"  Elder,  I  thought  it  was  time  that  I 
was  baptized.  He  administered  the  ordinance,  and  ordained 
me  an  Elder.     I  then  went  on  my  way  rejoicing. 

In  due  time  I  reached  Olean  Point,  on  the  Alleghany  river, 
one  of  the  streams  ihat  form  the  head  waters  of  the  Ohio. 
Several  families  had  gathered  there  with  the  view  of  descend- 
ing the  river  in  boats.  Among  them  were  my  brother  Phineas 
and  his  family.  The  company  built  two  boats,  and  started 
down  the  Alleghany  river,  in  the  month  of  November. 

The  river  was  low  and  falling.  It  was  my  lot,  with  others, 
nearly  every  morning  to  get  into  the  water  and  work  the  boats 


VOYAGE  TO  PITTSBURO.  37 

off  the  sand  bars  upon  which  we  anchored  at  night.  The  water 
was  alwaj^s  cold,  and  at  times  the  ice  was  half  an  inch  thick,  I 
had  the  whooping  cough,  and  this  work  was  very  severe  on 
me. 

We  journeyed  in  this  way  for  three  weeks,  to  Pittsburg,  at 
the  head  of  the  Ohio  river.  Three  days  before  arriving 
there  my  wife  was  taken  sick,  and  did  not  feel  that  she  could 
travel  any  farther. 

Brother  Phineas  and  I  concluded  to  stop  awhile  in  Pitts- 
burg. We  were  destitute  of  money,  having  only  fifty  cents  left 
between  us.  Soon  after  tying  up  our  boat,  a  report  got 
noised  about  that  we  were  a  party  of  "Mormons,"  on  our  way 
to  Zion.  Some  of  the  ideas  of  the  Saints  in  regard  to  gather- 
ing, although  often  stated  erroneously,  had  obtained  quite  an 
extensive  circulation  in  the  country.  Many  of  the  people 
came  to  see  us,  and  at  first,  stared  as  though  beholding  some 
great  curiosity.  My  brother  Phineas  and  I  hired  one  room 
and  moved  into  it.  We  retained  one  boat  and  the  remainder 
of  the  company  went  on  in  the  other. 

The  way  we  traveled  would  now  be  thought  a  novel  and 
hard  way  for  the  Saints  to  gather  in  these  days  of  railroads. 
Fifty  years  have  made  many  changes,  The  world  is  progress- 
ing. 

Some  respectable-looking  men  inquired  if  there  were  any 
"Mormon"  preachers  in  the  company.  We  informed  them 
that  we  were  Elders.  They  expressed  a  wish  that  we  would 
hold  a  meeting. 

We  soon  learned  that  Mr.  Wm.  Harris,  of  whom  we  had 
rented  our  room,  had  somewhere  met  one  of  our  Elders,  learned 
something  of  the  gospel,  and  had  been  baptized.  Up  to  that 
time  he  had  made  no  open  profession  of  having  joined  the 
Saints. 

There  was  a  large  room  in  the  same  house  we  had  moved 
into.  This  Brother  Harris  offered  us  for  holding  meetings  in. 
The  first  evening  quite  a  goodly  number  gathered  into  it,  and 
my  brother  Phineas  and  1  talked  to  them.  Before  closing,  we 
gave  the  privilege  for  any  one  to  speak  who  wished  to. 

An  elderly  lady  arose  and  said  she  had  been  seeking  for  the 
truth  many  years,  and  that  she  had  read  the  Bible  through 


38        ORGANIZE  A  BRANCH  .OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Irom  Genesis  to  Revelations  fourteen  times,  with  a  prayerful 
heart,  that  she  might  come  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth.  She 
testified  that  what  she  had  just  heard  was  the  first  gospel 
discourse  she  had  ever  heard  in  her  life.  Almost  in  the  words 
of  the  eunuch  to  Phillip,  she  said:  "Here  is  water,  what 
hinders  me  from  being  baptized?" 

The  house  stood  on  the  bank  of  the  Alleghany  river.  The 
night  was  dark,  and  we  thought  it  dangerous  to  try  to  bap- 
tize her. 

She  called  to  our  minds  the  case  of  the  jailor,  who  was 
baptized  in  the  self-same  hour  in  which  he  believed. 

We  obtained  a  lantern  and  went  to  the  bank  of  the  river, 
the  people  following  us.  We  found  the  bank  steep  and  the 
water  somewhat  deep;  but  my  brother,  Phineas  held  on  to  me 
while  I  baptized  the  woman. 

We  continued  to  hold  meetings  and  baptize  until  over  thirty 
persons  had  united  with  the  Church. 

We  had  authority  to  preach,  baptize  and  confirm,  but  we 
had  no  knowledge  of  the  organization  of  the  Church,  and 
knew  not  how  to  organize  a  branch.  In  the  following  winter, 
of  1 831-32,  Elder  Sidney  Rigdon  passed  through  Pittsburg,  and 
gave  us  instructions  concerning  the  organization  of  the 
Church.  We  then  organized  a  branch,  and  continued  our 
meetings. 

After  events  have  passed,  we  often  see  in  them  a  providence 
leading  to  important  results.  We  left  our  homes  in  the  State 
of  New  York  for  Missouri,  the  only  objective  point  in  which 
we  felt  any  interest.  A  seeming  chance  of  sickness  induced 
us  to  stop  for  a  season  in  Pittsburg.  There  we  found  a  people 
ready  to  receive  the  truth.  We  preached  the  gospel,  and 
built  up  a  branch  of  the  Church.  We  were  evidently  led 
there  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  important  work. 

As  will  be  seen,  we  subsequently  went  to  Kirtland,  instead 
of  going  on  west.  But  before  going  to  Kirtland,  there  was 
yet  another  place  where  we  were  to  preach  the  gospel. 

As  before  stated,  on  our  arrival  in  .Pittsburg  our  finances 
were  low.  Brother  Phineas  soon  obtained  labor.  I  was  not 
so  successful,  I  walked  the  streets  of  the  town  day  after  day, 
in  search  of  a  job,  willing  to  accept  of  anything  I  could  pos- 


MISSION  TO  NEW  YORK.  39 

sibly  do.     Finally  I  met  a  man  who  gave  me  some  encourage- 
ment.    Said  he,  "Are  you  a  mechanic?" 

I  felt  constrained  to  answer  '  'yes, ' '  although  I  could  not  really 
lay  much  claim  to  the  profession. 

'  'Well,  said  he,  I  want  twelve  dozen  steamboat  trunks  made. ' ' 

I  replied,  "I  am  your  man,  but  I  am  traveling.  I  have 
stopped  here  on  account  of  sickness  in  my  family,  and  have  no 
tools  with  me,  and  no  place  to  work.  He  assured  me  that  he 
had  shop,  tools  and  everything  necessary  to  work  with.  We 
went  at  once  to  his  shop. 

I  really  did  not  know  what  a  steamboat  trunk  was.  I  told 
him  that  I  was  from  the  Eastern  States,  where  probably  they 
worked  different  to  what  they  did  in  that  country,  and  I  should 
feel  much  obliged  if  he  would  lay  out  a  trunk  for  me,  that  I 
might  make  no  mistake.  He  picked  up  a  wide  board,  laid  it 
on  a  bench,  and  with  square  and  compass  soon  laid  out  a 
trunk.  "There,"  said  he,  "that  is  the  way  I  do  it;  but  if  it 
don't  suit  you,  do  it  as  you  have  a  mind  to,"  and  he  walked 
out  of  the  shop.  Food  and  comforts  for  my  family  were  at 
stake.  I  knelt  down  and  asked  the  Lord  to  enable  me  to  do 
the  work  in  an  acceptable  manner,  and  I  arose  and  went  to  work 
with  a  light  heart.  I  got  the  bodies  of  several  trunks  together 
that  day.  Towards  evening  my  employer  came  in,  examined 
my  work  carefully,  and  said,  '  'That  is  good  enough.  If  you 
will  do  them  all  as  well  as  that,  it  will  do."  I  put  together 
the  twelve  dozen  trunks,  covered  and  finished  them  off  to  my 
employer's  satisfaction,  and  he  paid  me  the  money. 

For  that  kindly  providence  I  felt  thankful.  From  that  time 
I  found  labor  and  soon  made  my  family  quite  comfortable. 

In  the  spring  of  1 832,  it  was  thought  best  that  I  should  go 
on  a  mission  to  the  State  of  New  York.  I  spent  the  summer 
in  preaching  the  gospel.  I  had  joy  in  my  labors,  being  instru- 
mental in  bringing  many  into  the  Church. 

I  visited  the  town  of  Hector,  where,  by  my  preaching,  as 
before  stated,  a  Campbellite  church  had  been  organized. 
I  preached  in  the  sam^  house  that  I  had  occupied  on  the  pre- 
vious occasion.  Soon  after  I  commenced  to  talk,  such  a  spirit 
of  darkness  and  opposition  prevailed  in  the  house,  that  for  the 
first  and  only  time  in  my  life,  I  was  entirely  bound.     I  stood 


40  SPEAK  IN  TONGUES. 

speechless.  The  congregation  looked  at  me  as  if  wondering 
what  could  be  the  matter.  A  sensation  such  as  I  had  never 
felt  before  came  over  me.  My  tongue  seamed  numb  or  para- 
lyzed. In  a  short  time  I  commenced  to  speak  in  an  unknown 
tongue.  I  probably  spoke  about  fifteen  minutes.  Soon  after 
ceasing  to  talk,  the  interpretation  came  clear  and  distinct  to 
my  mind.    I  at  once  gave  it  to  the  congregation. 

I  had  no  further  difficulty.  I  talked  about  an  hour.  My 
old  friend,  Squire  Chase,  arose  and  testified  that  what  he  had 
heard  was  the  truth,  and  that  the  power  of  God  had  been 
made  manifest.  He  and  several  others  shed  tears.  Their 
hearts  were  softened  by  the  influence  of  the  good  Spirit. 

I  had  some  prior  engagements  to  meet  at  a  considerable 
distance  from  Hector.  These  would  keep  me  away  about 
two  weeks.  I  regretted  the  necessity  of  going  away,  and  left 
an  appointment  for  another  meeting  on  my  return.  I  indulged 
in  the  hope  of  establishing  a  branch  of  the  Church  there. 

While  I  was  absent,  the  Elder  Brown,  who  had  organized  a 
Campbellite  Church  from  converts  made  by  my  preaching, 
heard  that  I  was  preaching  "Mormonism."  He  came  there, 
held  meetings  and  visited  from  house  to  house.  He  repeated 
to  the  people  all  the  extravagant  stories  and  falsehoods  about 
the  Prophet  Joseph  and  the  Book  of  Mormon,  which  were 
so  extensively  circulated  in  those  early  times.  When  I 
returned,  I  found  the  minds  of  the  people  filled  with  prejudice 
and  bitterness.  The  Spirit  manifested  to  me  that  more 
preaching  to  them  would  be  in  vain,  and  I  went  away  sorrow- 
ing. I  have  not  heard  since  that  any  of  that  people  have 
ever  joined  the  Church. 

I  went,  to  Avon,  G-enesee  County,  to  see  my  father,  John 
Young.  He  desired  to  go  west  and  see  the  Prophet.  His 
wife,  my  stepmother,  preferred  to  remain  with  her  children. 

He  had  previously  sold  out  his  property  in  the  town  of 
Mendon  for  several  hundred  dollars,  and  had  used  it  to  supply 
the  wants  of  the  Elders.  He  had  served  as  a  soldier  during 
three  campaigns  of  the  revolutionary  war.  About  this  time, 
he  received  a  penison  from  the  government.  This  furnished 
him  the  means  of  accompanying  me  to  Pittsburg.  On  arriv- 
ing there,  my  brother  Phineas  and  I  bought  a  family  boat,  in 


STOP  AND  PREACH  AT  BEARDSTOWN.         41 

which  we  went  twenty-five  miles  down  the  Ohio  River.  My 
wife  was  a^ain  so  sick  that  we  felt  compelled  to  stop  at 
Beardstown. 

The  people  came  to  see  us,  and  soon  learned  that  we  were 
"Mormons."  They  expressed  a  wish  that  we  would  preach 
to  them.  The  following  day  being  Sunday,  we  consented  to 
do  so  if  they  would  furnish  a  house.  Mr.  Isaac  Hill,  since 
Bishop  for  several  years  of  the  2nd  Ward  of  Salt  Lake  City, 
was  then  a  citizen  of  that  place.  Through  his  kindly  ofiices 
the  school  house  was  opened  for  us. 

After  the  first  meeting,  the  people  desired  more.  In  a  few 
days  we  baptized  five  persons,  among  them  Mr.  Hill  and  Peter 
Shirts.  The  latter  is  well  known  to  many  of  the  people  of 
Utah. 

In  a  short  time,  my  brother  Phineas  went  to  Kirtland  with 
our  father.  The  Saints  desired  that  I  should  remain  at 
Beardstown,  and  I  concluded  to  spend  the  winter  there. 
Some  of  my  friends,  thinking  that  I  might  get  work  easier  at 
West  Union,  five  miles  from  Beardstown,  I  removed  there. 
There,  although  my  way  at  first  seemed  hedged  up,  I  succeeded 
in  making  my  family  comfortable  through  the  winter.  Again 
we  had  been  providentially  directed  to  where  there  were  a  few 
ready  to  receive  the  truth. 


42  REMOVAL  TO  KIRTLAND. 


CHAPTER    y. 

REMOVAL  TO  KIRTLAND — WORK  UPON  THE  TEMPLE — A  LES- 
SON— SICKNESS — PRONOUNCED  INCURABLE  BY  DOCTORS 
— HEALED  IN  ANSWER  TO  PRAYER — CURED  OF  LAME- 
NESS—  REMOVAL  TO  MISSOURI  —  COMMENCEMENT  OF 
HOSTILITIES — SURROUNDED  BY  A  MOB — FACE  DEATH — 
RESCUED. 

IN  March,  1833,  I  removed  to  Kirtland.  The  Kirtland 
Temple  committee  was  appointed  June  Oth,  1833.  About 
that  time,  I  took  with  my  team  Brothers  Hyrum  and  Joseph 
Smith,  Reynolds  Cahoon  and  my  brother  Brigham,  to  look 
at  a  stone  quarry,  and  see  if  the  rock  was  suitable  for  the 
walls  of  the  temple.  It  was  decided  that  it  would  do,  and  a 
part  of  a  load  was  put  on  the  wa^on.  We  all  returned  to 
town,  and  the  rock  was  unloaded  on  the  temple  ground.  As 
near  as  I  recollect,  this  was  the  first  rock  hauled  for  that 
building. 

From  that  time  I  worked  with  the  brethren,  as  occasion 
required,  until  the  temple  was  completed.  On  the  17th  of 
February,  1834,  those  holding  the  Priesthood  were  called 
together  to  organize  a  High  Council.  I  was  one  of  the 
number.  On  that  occasion  I  committed  a  great  error.  That 
it  may  be  a  lesson  for  others,  is  my  reason  for  relating  it  here. 
The  Prophet  requested  me  to  take  a  seat  with  other  brethren 
who  had  been  selected  for  this  Council. 

Instead  of  doing  as  requested,  I  arose  and  plead  my  inabil- 
ity to  fill  so  responsible  a  position,  manifesting,  I  think,  con- 
siderable earnestness  in  the  matter.  The  Prophet  then  said 
that  he  really  desired  that  I  should  take  the  place.' 

Still  excusing  myself,  he  appointed  another  to  fill  it.  I 
think  this  was  the  reason  the  Prophet  never  again  called 
me  to  till  any  important  position  in  the  Priesthood  during 
his  life. 


WORKING  UPON  THE  TEMPLE.  43 

I  have  since  learned  to  go  where  I  am  called,  and  not  set  up 
my  judgment  against  that  of  those  who  are  called  to  lead  in 
this  kingdom. 

When  the  temple  was  enclosed,  in  a  meeting  of  the  breth- 
ren, called  to  consult  about  its  completion,  the  Prophet  desired 
that  a  hard  finish  be  put  on  its  outside  walls.  None  of  the 
masons  who  had  worked  on  the  building  knew  how  to  do  it. 
Looking  around  on  the  brethren,  his  eyes  rested  upon  me; 
he  said,  "Brother  Lorenzo,  I  want  you  to  take  hold  and  get 
this  finish  on  the  walls.     Will  you  do  it?" 

"Yes;"  I  replied;  "I  will  try."  The  following  day,  with 
horse  and  buggy  I  went  to  Cleveland,  twenty-two  miles,  deter- 
mined, if  possible,  to  find  a  man  who  understood  the  business 
of  putting  a  hard  finish  on  the  walls.  I  had  been  there  but  a 
short  time,  inquiring  after  such  a  man,  when  I  met  a  young  man 
who  said  he  understood  the  business,  had  just  completed  a 
job,  and  wanted  another.  I  employed  him  at  once,  put  him 
and  his  tools  into  the  buggy,  and  returned  to  Kirtland. 

We  soon  had  the  materials  and  fixtures  on  hand  to  make  the 
mortar.  Jn  a  short  time  the  finish  was  being  put  upon  the 
walls. 

I  made  a  suitable  tool  and,  before  the  mortar  was  dry,  I 
marked  oflT  the  walls  into  blocks  in  imitation  of  regular  stone 
work.     When  the  finish  was  on  I  commenced  penciling. 

It  was  then  the  last  of  November,  and  the  weather  daily 
grew  colder.  A  Brother  Stillman  assisted  me  a  day  or  two, 
but  said  that  he  could  not  stand  the  cold,  and  quit  the  work. 

I  continued,  day  after  day,  determined,  if  possible,  to  com- 
plete the  job.  When  I  got  badly  chilled  I  went  into  my  house, 
warmed  myself  and  returned  again  to  the  work. 

I  completed  the  task  in  the  fore  part  of  December,  but 
was  sick  the  last  two  days.  I  had  caught  a  bad  cold,  had  a 
very  severe  cough,  and,  in  a  few  days  was  confined  to  my  bed. 

My  disease  was  pronouned  to  be  the  quick  consumption.  I 
sank  rapidly  for  six  or  seven  weeks.  For  two  weeks  I  was 
unable  to  talk.  Dr.  Williams,  one  of  the  brethren,  came  to 
see  me,  and,  considering  my  case  a  bad  one,  came,  the  next 
day  and  brought  with  him  Dr.  Seely,  an  old  practicing 
physician,  and  another  doctor  whose  name  I  have  forgotten. 


44  MIRACULOUSLY  HEALED. 

They  passed  me  through  an  examination.  Dr.  Seely  asserted 
that  I  had  not  as  much  lungs  left  as  would  fill  a  tea  saucer. 
He  appeared  a  somewhat  rough,  irreligious  man.  Probably, 
with  what  he  considered  a  good-natured  fling  at  our  behef  in 
miracles,  he  said  to  my  father,  as  he  left  the  house : 

"Mr.  Young,  unless  the  Lord  makes  your  son  a  new  pair 
of  lungs,  there  is  no  hope  for  him ! ' ' 

At  this  time  I  was  so  low  and  nervous  that  I  could  scarcely 
bear  any  noise  in  the  room.  The  next  morning  after  the 
visit  of  the  doctors,  my  father  came  to  the  door  of  the  room 
to  see  how  I  was.  I  recollect  his  gazing  earnestly  at  me  with 
tears  in  his  eyes.  As  I  afterwards  learned,  he  went  from 
there  to  the  Prophet  Joseph,  and  said  to  him :  '  'My  son 
Lorenzo  is  dying ;  can  there  not  be  something  done  for  him?" 

The  Prophet  studied  a  little  while,  and  replied,  '  'Yes !  Of 
necessity,  I  must  go  away  to  fill  an  appointment,  which  I  can- 
not put  ofi".  But  you  go  and  get  my  brother  Hyrum,  and, 
with  him,  get  together  twelve  or  fifteen  good  faithful  breth- 
ren; go  to  the  house  of  Brother  Lorenzo,  and  all  join  in 
prayer.  One  be  mouth  and  the  others  repeat  after  him  in 
unison.  After  praj^er,  divide  into  quorums  of  three.  Let  the 
first  quorum  who  administer,  anoint  Brother  Young  with  oil ; 
then  lay  hands  on  him,  one  being  mouth  and  the  other  two 
repeating  in  unison  after  him.  When  all  the  quorums  have, 
in  succession,  laid  their  hands  on  Brother  Young  and  praj^ed  for 
him,  begin  again  with  the  first  quorum,  by  anointing  with  oil 
as  before,  continuins:  the  administration  in  this  way  until 
you  receive  a  testimony  that  he  will  be  restored." 

My  father  came  with  the  brethren,  and  these  instructions 
were  strictly  followed.  The  administrations  were  continued 
until  it  came  the  turn  of  the  first  quorum  the  third  time. 
Brother  Hyrum  Smith  led.  The  Spirit  rested  mightily  upon 
him.  He  was  full  of  blessing  and  prophecy.  Among  other 
things,  he  said  that  I  should  live  to  go  with  the  Saints  into 
the  bosom  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  to  build  up  a  place  there, 
and  that  my  cellar  should  overflow  with  wine  and  fatness. 

At  that  time,  I  had  not  heard  about  the  Saints  going  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains ;  possibly  Brother  Smith  had.  After 
he  had  finished  he  seemed  surprised  at  some  things  he  had 


REMOVAL  TO  MISSOURI.  45 

said,  and  wondered  at"  the  manifestations  of  the  Spirit.  I 
coughed  no  more  after  that  administration,  and  rapidly 
recovered. 

I  had  been  pronounced  by  the  best  physicians  in  the  country 
past  all  human  aid,  and  I  am  a  living  witness  of  the  power  of 
God  manifested  in  my  behalf  through  the  administration  of 
the  Elders. 

I  continued  to  live  in  Kirtland,  labored  for  the  support  of 
my  family  and  went  on  missions  until  September,  1837.  At 
that  time  there  was  considerable  persecution,  and  many  Saints 
left  for  Missouri.  In  company  with  Brother  Isaac  Decker 
and  family,  I  started  for  that  place. 

On  account  of  sickness  in  my  family,  I  laid  by  at  Dublin, 
Indiana.     I  remained  there  until  January,  1838. 

I  went  to  Cincinnati.  While  absent,  my  brother  Brigham, 
and  Brothers  Joseph  and  Samuel  Smith,  with  their  families, 
came  along  on  their  way  to  Missouri.  They  were  accompanied 
by  Brother  Daniel  Holman  and  Brother  Miles.  I  returned 
to  Dublin,  and,  in  February,  we  continued  our  journey 
together. 

On  the  way,  in  jumping  from  a  wagon,  I  fell  and  split  my 
knee  pan  on  a  sharp  stone.  The  injury  was  both  painful  and 
dangerous.     . 

Biding  over  rough  roads  in  a  loaded  wagon  was  very  pain- 
ful to  me.  At  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  my  leg  was  examined 
by  a  surgeon.  He  said  even  if  I  got  well,  my  leg  would 
always  be  stiff.  However,  my  faith  was  that  I  should  again 
have  the  use  of  it.  It  was  still  over  four  hundred  miles  to 
our  destination.  I  suffered  much,  but  got  the  use  of  my  leg 
the  following  summer.  I  attribute  this  result  to  the  blessing 
of  the  Lord  through  the  administration  of  the  Elders. 

On  our  way,  we  crossed  the  Mississippi  river  at  Quincy, 
Illinois,  on  the  ice.  We  were  the  last  to  cross  in  that  way  that 
season.  When  near  the  west  side,  on  account  of  the  weak- 
ness of  the  ice,  we  took  the  horses  from  the  wagons  and  laid 
down  planks  to  run  the  latter  to  the  shore. 

In  March,  Brother  Isaac  Decker  and  I  arrived  in  Davis 
County,  Missouri.  I  purchased  a  quarter  section  of  land  and 
went  to  work  to  make  me  a  home.    Brother  Decker  rented  a 


46  STOPPED   BY  A  MOB. 

farm.  The  remainder  of  the  company  went  on  to  Far  West, 
twenty- two  miles  farther. 

We  labored  diligently  at  our  business  during  the  summer, 
usually  having  meetings  on  the  Sabbath.  Matters  remained 
quiet  until  election  day,  August  6th,  1838,  when  the  Missouri- 
ans  determined  that  the  "Mormons"  should  not  vote.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  brethren  asserted  their  rights,  and  a  fight 
took  place  at  G-allatin,  as  related  in  Church  history.^  I  did 
not  feel  like  attending  election,  and  did  not  go.  This  was  the 
beginning  of  our  troubles  in  Davis  County. 

I  lived  eighteen  miles  from  Adam  Ondi-Ahman.  About 
this  time,  I  left  my  family  on  my  place  and  went  there  and 
stood  guard  some  two  weeks.  Brother  Decker  accompanied 
me.  After  completing  our  term  of  military  service,  Brother 
Decker  and  I  started  for  home.  We  had  but  one  horse,  and 
we  alternately  rode  and  walked.  As  we  passed  through  the 
town  of  Gallatin,  about  eight  miles  from  home,  it  was  my 
turn  to  walk,  and  Brother  Decker  was  ahead  of  me  on  the 
horse.  There  was  a  company  of  Missourians  stationed 
about  twenty  rods  from  the  road,  near  a  whisky  saloon.  As  I 
was  passing  nearly  opposite  them,  a  party  of  men  stepped  in 
front  of  me  and  the  leader  ordered  me  to  stop.  He  was 
armed  with  a  sword.  There  were  twenty-two  of  the  party, 
mostly  armed  with  rifles. 

.Nothing  was  said  to  Brother  Decker,  although  he  halted 
and  sat  on  his  horse  a  short  distance  off  and  watched  the  pro_ 
ceedings. 

The  captain  of  the  party  asked  me  where  I  had  been, 
where  I  was  going,  and  if  I  was  a  "Mormon,"  with  many 
other  questions  which  I  answered  truthfully. 

After  answering  one  of  his  questions,  with  a  profane 
epithet  he  called  me  a  liar.  After  this,  I  kept  my  mouth 
closed  and  answered  no  more  of  his  questions.  He  was 
about  half  drunk,  as  were  probably  some  of  his  men.  He 
became  much  irritated  at  my  silence,  and  used  very  profane 
and  abusive  language.  Said  he :  "You  have  probably  been 
robbing  and  burning  in  this  section,  and  ought  to  be  killed. 
Anyhow,  I  will  make  you  open  your  mouth."  He  then 
ordered  his  men  to  form  in  a  half  circle  a  little  distance  from 


THREATENED  WITH  DEATH — RESCUED.  47 

me,  evidently  to  concentrate  their  fire.  He  then  ordered 
them  to  '  'Make  ready !     Aim ! ' ' 

Every  rifle  was  drawn  on  me.  I  prayed  in  my  heart,  and 
felt  considerable  assurance  that  they  would  not  be  permitted 
to  kill  me.  My  life  trembled  in  the  balance  awaiting  the 
leader's  order  to  fire,  or  recover  arms.  The  latter  order 
came.  He  then  said  excitedly :  "Now  will  you  talk?"  But  I 
remained  silent. 

This  performance  was  repeated.  He  became  filled  with 
wrath,  and  commanded  his  men,  the  third  time,  "Make  ready  ! 
Aim  I"  It  looked  surely  as  though  my  time  had  come.  At 
this  moment,  a  man  in  military  garb,  and  armed  with  a  sword, 
came  running  from  the  camp  near  the  grocery.  When  near 
enough  to  to  be  heard,  he  cried  out,  "Hold  on!" 

The  men  dropped  their  peices,  and  there  was  respite  for  me 
again.  As  he  approached  he  demanded,  "What  are  you 
doing?" 

The  officer  who  had  been  abusing  me,  replied  with  a  profane 
epithet,  "I  am  going  to  kill  this  Mormon!" 

The  other  officer  ordered  him  to  take  his  men  to  the  camp. 

As  he  did  not  move  readily,  his  superior  drew  his  sword, 
stepped  in  front  of  him,  and  declared  with  an  oath,  if  he  did 
not  move  at  once  he  would  take  his  head  from  his  shoulders. 
His  tone  and  manner  indicated  that* he  meant  business,  and 
the  captain  moved  off  with  his  men  at  once. 

The  officer  who  released  me,  declared  that  the  other  was 
drunk  and  did  not  know  what  he  was  doing.  He  asked  me 
many  questions  similar  to  what  the  other  had  done,  but  in  a 
gentlemanly  manner,  and  I  answered  them  frankly  and  truly. 
His  heart  was  softened  towards  me.  He  bade  me  go  on  my 
way,  and  added,  "Mr.  Young  if  you  are  ever  in  trouble  in 
this  war,  and  can  do  so,  send  for  me,  and  you  shall  not  be  hurt, 
unless  it  is  over  my  dead  body.  I  made  a  memorandum  of 
his  name,  military  title,  etc.,  but  regret  to  say  that  in  my 
many  moves  since  have  lost  it. 

Again  was  the  prophetic  promise  of  my  mother  fulfilled, 
and  my  life  lengthened  out  for  some  wise  purpose.  Brother 
Decker  and  I  went  on  home.  He  immediately  removed  to 
Far  West,  Caldwell  County. 


48  ORDERED  TO  RENOUNCE  "mORMONISM"  OR  GO. 


CHAPTER    YI. 

WARNED  TO  LEAVE  THE  COUNTRY  OR  REUOUNCE  "mORMON- 
ISM"  —  WIFE  AND  CHILDREN  THREATENED — ^A  BOY'S 
PLUCK— FORCED  TO  FLEE  FOR  OUR  LIVES— PROPERTY 
CONFISCATED — BATTLE  OF  CROOKED  RIVER — ^PROVIDEN- 
TIALLY SAVED— FAR  WEST  BESIEGED — ESCAPE  TO  IOWA 
— ^PURSUED — PROVIDENTIAL  SNOW  STORM. 

In  a  day  or  two  after  my  return  home,  Mr.  Kicliard  Weld- 
ing, of  whom  T  had  bought  my  farm,  came  to  me,  accompanied 
by  three  or  four  others.  He  gave  me  warning  to  leave  the 
country  at  once. 

I  asked  him  why  I  must  leave,  saying :  "Have  I  not  bought 
my  land,  and  paid  you  for  it?  Have  I  not  attended  to  my 
own  business?" 

He  replied:  "Mr.  Young,  we  do  not  want  you  to  leave. 
You  are  a  good  neighbor  and  citizen,  and  if  you  will  only  be 
man  enough  to  renounce  Joe  Smith  and  your  religion,  we 
want  you  to  remain  with  us,  and  I  will  protect  you  in  your 
rights.  The  Mormons  must  all  leave  the  country,  and  if  you 
do  not  renounce  them,  you  must  go  too. ' ' 

I  paid  no  attention  to  this  warning. 

Three  or  four  days  after  this  occurrence,  four  men  rode  up 
in  front  of  my  house,  when  I  happened  to  be  away,  called 
Sister  Young  to  the  door,  and  again  gave  warning  that  we 
had  better  leave. 

By  her  side  stood  our  little  boy,  Joseph  W.  One  of  the 
men,  using  an  oath,  ordered  him  to  go  into  the  house  or  he 
would  blow  his  brains  out.  The  boy  stepped  back,  without 
his  mother  noticing  what  he  was  doing,  took  my  rifle,  which 
was  standing  in  the  room,  and,  before  he  had  attracted  her 
attention,  was  leveling  it  on  the  threatener.  She  quietly  told 
him  not  to  fire,  as  they  would  certainly  be  killed  if  he  did. 

He  obeyed,  but  manifested  considerable  beligerency  for  one 
of  his  age. 


FORCED  TO  FLEE  TO  SAVE  OUR  LIVES.  49 

About  five  days  after  this  warning,  early  in  the  morning,  I 
looked  up  the  road  towards  Gallatin,  and  saw  a  man  on  horse- 
back coming  towards  my  house  at  full  speed.  As  he  rode  up 
he  inquired :   "Is  your  name  Young?" 

I  answered  that  it  was. 

He  continued:  "I  have  rode  from  Gallatin  to  inform  you 
that,  in  two  or  three  hours,  there  will  be  a  company  of  forty 
men  here,  who  assert  that  if  they  find  you  here,  they  will 
fasten  you  and  your  family  in  your  house  and  burn  it  down. 
For  God's  sake,  if  you  value  your  own  life  and  the  lives  of 
your  wife  and  children,  do  not  be  here  an  hour  from  now. 
I  have  come  to  give  you  this  warning  as  a  friend.  Should  it 
be  found  out  that  I  have  done  so,  I  might  lose  my  own  life!" 

I  thanked  him  for  his  kindness,  and  he  rode  ofi"  rapidly 
towards  Gallatin.  I  told  Sister  Young  to  prepare  to  leave  at 
once,  then  attached  my  team  to  a  light  spring  wagon,  put  a 
bed,  a  few  cooking  utensils,  a  trunk  of  clothing,  and  some 
food  for  'the  day  into  it.  I  got  my  wife,  my  four  chil- 
dren, William,  Harriet,  Joseph  and  John  into  the  wagon, 
fastened  up  the  house  and  started  for  Far  West. 

I  expected  to  return  and  get  my  goods.  The  next  day  I 
obtained  some  teams  and  started  for  my  goods.  I  found  the 
road  strongly  guarded,  and  the  Missouriaus  threatened  to  kill 
me  if  I  went  on.  1  never  obtained  goods,  cows  nor  anything 
that  I  had  left  on  my  place. 

This  left  my  family  very  destitute,  in  common  with  others 
of  the  Saints  who  had  been  treated  in  like  manner. 

I  had  previously  driven  a  fiue  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  new 
milch  cow  to  Far  West,  thinking  I  might  possibly  want  to 
remove  there;  but  Clark's  army  drove  my  oxen  into  camp 
and  butchered  them  for  beef  I  was  promised  pay  for  them, 
but,  of  course,  never  received  anything  but  the  promise. 

This  was  in  October,  1838.  I  remained  in  Far  West  d  jw.sc 
whatever  was  necessary  for  the  protection  of  the  Saints.  I 
was  on  guard  much  of  the  time. 

Major  Seymour  Brunson  directed  Brother  A.  P.  Bockwood 
and  myself  to  take  our  horses  and  go  out  two  miles  nortii  of 
Far  West  and  patrol  the  country  every  night.  If  we  s.vW  a 
man,  or  company  of  men  coming  towards  Far  West,  we  were 


50  ON  PATROL  DUTY— A  NARROW  ESCAPE. 

ordered  to  hail  them  and  demand  the  countersign.  If 
necessary,  to  make  this  demand  the  second  time,  when,  if  not 
given,  we  were  to  fire  on  them.  When  we  arrived  on  the 
ground  where  we  were  to  perform  our  duties.  Brother  Rock- 
wood  and  I  separated,  taking  difierent  directions.  It  was  a 
moonUght  night.  I  was  on  the  edge  of  a  prairie  with  my  eye 
along  the  road,  when  I  discovered  a  company  of  mounted 
men  coming  over  a  swell  of  the  prairie.  I  retired  into  the 
timber  and  took  a  station  behind  the  trunk  of  a  large  tree, 
under  the  shadow  of  its  branches,  and  twenty  or  thirty  yards 
from  the  road.  As  the  company  came  opposite  to  me,  I 
demanded  the  countersign  twice,  as  I  had  been  ordered  to  do. 
As  they  paid  no  attention  to  me,  I  made  ready  to  fire,  intend- 
ing to  shoot  the  leader,  when  a  strong  and  sudden  impression 
came  over  me  to  hail  again.  I  did  so,  and  ordered  them  to 
halt.  This  time  the  leader  recognized  my  voice,  and,  turning 
towards  me,  asked :  ''Is  that  you,  Brother  Lorenzo?"  I  also 
recognized  the  man  as  Brother  Lyman  Wight,  and,  as  I 
answered  in  the  affirmative,  rode  up  to  his  side.  We  were 
glad  to  meet  each  other,  and  I  was  very  thankful  that  I  had 
not  obeyed  orders.  He  was  on  his  way  from  Diamond  to  Far 
West,  with  a  company  of  men  to  assist  the  Saints  there. 

Soon  after  this  occurrence,  I  returned  to'  Far  West.  I  told 
Sister  Young  that  I  hoped  to  get  one  good  night's  sleep. 
For  three  weeks  I  had  not  had  my  clothes  ofi"  to  lay  down, 
and  I  felt  much  worn. 

Perhaps  I  had  slept  two  hours,  when  I  was  awakened  by 
the  bass  drum  sounding  an  alarm  on  the  public  square.  I 
was  soon  out  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  There  were  five 
men  on  the  square,  of  whom  I  inquired  the  cause  of  the 
alarm.  They  informed  me  that  two  of  the  brethren  had  been 
taken  prisoners  by  the  mob  on  Crooked  Biver,  tried  by  a  court 
martial  that  day,  and  condemned  to  be  shot  the  coming  morn- 
ing at  eight  o'clock.  A  company  of  men  was  wanted  to  go 
and  rescue  them. 

Preparations  were  soon  made,  and  in  a  short  time,  about  40 
mounted  men,  under  the  command  of  David  W.  Patten,  were 
ready  to  start.  We  kept  the  road  to  a  ford  on  Crooked  Biver, 
twenty  miles  distant,  where  we  expected  to  find  the  mob. 


CROOKED   RIVER  BATTLE.  51 

Just  as  the  day  was  breaking  we  dismounted,  about  a  mile 
from  the  ford,  tied  our  horses,  and  left  Brother  Isaac  Decker 
to  watch  them. 

We  marched  down  the  road  some  distance,  when  we  heard 
the  crack  of  a  rifle.  Brother  Obanion,  who  was  one  step  in 
advance  of  me  fell.  I  assisted  brother  John  P.  Grreen,  who 
was  the  captain  of  the  platoon  I  belonged  to,  to  carry  him  to 
the  side  of  the .  road.  We  asked  the  Lord  to  preserve  his 
life,  laid  him  down,  ran  on  and  took  our  places  again. 

The  man  who  shot  Brother  Obanion  was  a  picket  guard  of 
the  mob,  who  was  secreted  in  ambush  by  the  roadside.  Cap- 
tain Patten  was  ahead  of  the  company. 

As  we  neared  the  river  the  firing  was  somewhat  lively. 

Captain  Patten  turned  to  the  lefc  of  the  road,   with  a  part  of 

the  command;  Captain  Green  and  others  turned  to  the  right. 

We  were  ordered  to  charge,  which  we  did,  to  the  bank 

of  the  river,  when  the  enemy  broke  and  fled. 

I  snapped  my  gun  twice  at  a  man  in  a  white  blanket  coat. 
While  engaged  in  repriuiing  my  gun,  he  got  out  of  range, 

A  tall,  powerful,  Missourian  sprang  fro  en  under  the  bank  of 
the  river,  and,  with  a  heavy  sword  in  hand,  rushed  towards 
one  of  the  brethren,  crying  out,  "Hun,  you  devils,  or  die!" 

The  man  he  was  making  for  was  also  armed  with  a  sword, 
but  was  small  and  poorly  calculated  to  withstand  the  heavy 
blows  of  the  Missourian.  He,  however,  succeded  in  defend- 
himself  until  [  ran  to  his  aid,  and  leveled  my  gun  within  two 
feet  of  his  enemy,  but  it  missed  fire. 

The  Missourian  turned  on  me.  With  nothing  but  the 
muzzle  end  of  my  rifle  to  parry  his  rapid  blows,  my  situation 
was  perilous.  The  man  whom  I  had  relieved,  for  some  reason, 
did  not  come  to  the  rescue.  I  succeeded  in  parrying  the 
blows  of  my  enemy  until  he  backed  me  to  the  bank  of  the 
river.  I  could  back  no  farther  without  going  ofi"  the  perpen- 
dicular bank,  eight  or  ten  feet  above  the  water.  In  a  moment 
I  realized  that  my  chances  were  very  desperate.  At  this  junc- 
ture the  Missourian  raised  his  sword,  apparently  throwing  all 
his  strength  and  energy  into  the  act,  as  if  intending  to  crush 
me  with  one  desperate  blow. 

As  his  arm  extended  I  saw  a  hand  pass  down  the  back  of 


52  MIRACULOUSLY  DELIVERED. 

his  head  and  between  his  shoulders.  There  was  no  other 
person  visible,  and  I  have  always  believed  that  I  saw  the 
hand  of  the  angel  of  the  Lord  interposed  for  my  deliverance. 
The  arm  of  my  enemy  was  paralyzed,  and  I  had  time  to  extri- 
cate myself  from  the  perilous  situation  1  was  in. 

As  soon  as  I  had  time  to  think,  I  felt  that  the  inspiration 
of  my  mother's  promise  had  been  again  verified.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  hand,  to  me,  was  real.  I  do  not  see  how  I  could 
have  been  saved  in  the  way  I  was,  without  a  providential 
interference. 

As  soon  as  I  was  out  of  danger,  my  attention  was  drawn 
to  brother  David  W.  Patten,  who  lay  on  the  ground  a  short 
distance  from  me,  mortally  wounded.  We  hitched  a  pair  of 
horses  to  a  wagon,  put  brother  Patten  and  six  other  wounded 
men  into  it,  and  started  for  Far  West. 

A  few  miles  from  the  battle  ground  we  met  the  Prophet 
Joseph,  with  a  carriage  and  a  company  of  horsemen.  The 
wounded  were  taken  to  their  homes,  and  such  care  given 
them  as  circumstances  would  allow. 

Soon  after  our  return  to  Far  West,  Greneral  Clark's  army 
arrived  before  that  city.  In  the  evening  after  Joseph  and 
Hyrum  Smith  and  others  had  been  taken  prisoners,  Hyrum 
Smith  had  the  privilege  of  coming  into  Far  West  to  see  his 
family.  From  the  spirit  of  General  Clark  and  his  army,  he 
believed  that,  if  they  succeeded  in  taking  the  brethren  who 
were  in  the  Crooked  River  battle,  they  would  be  tried  by  a 
court  martial  and  shot.  'He  and  brother  Brigham,  and 
myself  met  on  the  public  square.  After  counseling  over  the 
matter,  it  was  decided  that  I,  and  others  in  the  same  situation, 
'^should  start  that  night  into  the  wilderness  north,  for  the  Des 
Moines  River,  in  Iowa  Territory.  My  brother,  Phineas, 
being  a  good  woodsman,  was  selected  to  pilot  us. 

The  Saints  in  Far  West  had  been  so  plundered  by  their 
enemies,  that  they  had  but  little  surplus  to  eat  or  wear. 

I  had  on  a  very  thin  pair  of  pants.  My  wife  took  a  sheet 
from  the  bed,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  some  of  the 
neighbors,  hastily  made  me  a  pair  of  drawers.  These  I  after- 
wards gave  to  my  brother  Phineas,  as  he  seemed  to  suflfer 


FLEE  TO  IOWA.  53 

more  with  the  cold  than  I  did.     Our  bedding  was  as  scanty  as 
our  clothing. 

We  left  Far  West  that  night,  and  took  no  food  with  us. 
We  arrived  about  sunrise  in  the  morning,  at  Adam-Ondi- 
Ahman,  twenty-two  miles  from  Far  West.  We  needed  some 
breakfast,  and  stopped  in  a  clump  of  hazel  brush,  and  sent 
one  of  the  party  to  the  house  of  Brother  G-ardiner  Snow,  to 
tell  him  our  situation.  He  said  he  had  not  much  to  eat,  but 
would  do  the  best  he  could.  He  brought  us  a  very  good 
supply  of  stewed  Missouri  pumpkin  and  milk.  Our  keen 
appetites  made  this  seem  a  very  good  breakfast. 

There  we  obtained  fifty  pounds  of  chopped  corn.  With 
this  meagre  supply  of  food  we  continued  on  our  journey. 
From  the  first,  it  was  evident  that  we  must  be  very  saving  of 
our  food  supply.  We  rationed  on  eight  ounces  of  this  meal, 
per  man,  each  day.  It  was  mixed  with  water,  without  any 
salt,  baked  in  a  cake  before  the  fire,  and  carefully  divided 
out. 

The  second  day,  as  night  was  approaching,  we  struck  the 
edge  of  a  prairie,  which  was  about  four  miles  across.  As  our 
horses  were  weary,  we  stopped  a  short  time  to  rest,  when  one 
Irvine  Hodge  overtook  us.  He  informed  us  that  General 
Clark,  having  learned  of  our  departure,  had  sent  a  troop  of 
sixty  cavalrymen  in  pursuit ;  that  they  were  only  a  few  miles 
behind,  and  on  our  trail.  Their  orders  were  to  bring  us  dead 
or  alive.  We  had  thought  of  camping  on  the  spot,  but  con- 
cluded to  cross  the  prairie  at  once.  This  we  accomplished, 
and  camped  in  the  timber.  In  the  night,  snow  commenced 
falling.  It  appeared  to  come  down  in  sheets  instead  offtakes. 
In  .the  morning  it  was  about  a  foot  and  a  half  deep.  Some 
of  the  company,  at  first,  regretted  this,  but  others  saw  and 
felt  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  in  it.  My  brother, 
Phineas,  at  once  declared  that  it  was  the  means  of  our 
deliverance.  We  started  on  and  the  wind  began  to  blow. 
Our  tracks  were  completely  covered  soon  after  they  were 
made. 

We  afterwards  learned  that  our  pursuers  camped  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  prairie  from  us,  where  we  had  rested.    In 


54  WONDERFUL  POWER  OF  ENDURANCE, 

the  morning  they  tried  to  find  our  trail,  but  finding  it  impos- 
sible to  do  so,  gave  up  pursuit. 

Thus  we  were  saved  from  our  enemies  by  a  friendly  inter- 
position of  the  elements  in  our  behalf 

We  were  fifteen  days  on  our  journey  from  Far  West  to  the 
Des  Moines  River.  The  last  three  days  we  were  without  food. 
After  the  snow  fell,  our  horses  had  to  subsist  on  what  they 
could  find  above  it. 

The  brush  had  soon  made  my  thin  pants  unavailable  for 
covering  my  legs  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  knees.  The 
fragments  were  tied  up  with  small  hickory  withes.  When 
we  arrived  near  a  house,  on  the  Des  Moines,  I  remained  in 
the  woods  while  one  of  my  companions  went  to  the  house  and 
obtained  a  pair  of  pants,  that  I  might  be  presentable. 

On  this  trip  it  seemed  as  though  both  men  and  animals  had 
a  wonderful  power  of  enduring  cold,  hunger  and  fatigue.  I 
am  constrained,  after  more  than  forty  years  have  passed  away, 
to  acknowledge  a  special  providence  in  our  deliverance. 

I  have  drawn  on  my  memory  for  the  facts  of  this  narative, 
and  think  that  they  are  correct;  but  there  may  be  some  errors 
in  dates,  and  in  the  succession  of  events. 


VISIT  TO  SCOTLAND.  55 


AN  INSTANCE   OF   DIVINE 
INTERPOSITION. 


BY  ELDER  WILLIAM  BUDQE. 


VISIT  TO  SCOTLAND— MEET  OLD  FRIENDS-  -RETURN  TO  LIVER- 
POOL— ^ABOUT  TO  GO  BY  STEAMER  TO  BRISTOL — ^A  VOICE 
WARNS  ME  NOT  TO  GO—TURN  BACK— SHORT  OF  MONEY — 
MEANS  PROVIDENTIALLY  PROVIDED — JOURNEY  TO  PORTS- 
MOUTH— SEQUEL  TO  THE  WARNING— THE  STEAMER 
WRECKED. 

I  HAD  been  laboring  in  the  Southampton  Conference,  Eng- 
land, as  a  missionary  for  about  two  years,  when  I  obtained 
permission  to  visit  my  relatives  in  Scotland.  It  was  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  summer  of  1853. 

Accompanied  by  an  Eider  named  Armstrong,  who  was 
going  to  Liverpool,  I  embarked  at  Portsmouth,  on  the  steam- 
ship Duke  of  Cornwall^  bound  for  that  port,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  8th  of  August. 

Shortly  after  starting,  we  passed  the  British  fleet,  lying  off 
Spithead,  preparing  for  a  grand  review,  to  take  place  on  the 
following  Thursday,  which  Queen  Victoria  was  expected  to 
attend.  The  scene  was  both  novel  and  intese  sting,  as  we 
passed  near  the  assembled  and  decorated  ships. 

Passing  the  Isle  of  Wight,  of  which  we  had  a  good  f  iew, 
we  called  at  Plymouth,  Falmouth,  and  Penzance,  before 
reaching  Liverpool,  passing  also  the  celebrated  Eddystone 
Lighthouse. 

We  reached  Liverpool  at  two  p.  m.,  on  the  10th,  and  I 
sailed  for  Grlasgow  within  two  hours  afterwards.  On  board 
the  Scotch  steamer,  I  was  pleased  to  find  an  old  acquaintance, 


56  MEET  OLD  FRIENDS. 

named  George  TurnbuU,  who  was  at  that  time  a  clerk  in  the 
Church  office  at  Liverpool,  and  on  his  way,  like  myself,  to 
visit  his  home  and  friends. 

Brother  TurnbuU  and  1  heard  the  gospel  about  the  same 
time,  in  the  same  city,  (Grlasgow)  and  became  members  of  the 
same  branch  of  the  Church;  he  being  baptized  first.  This 
young  man  was  a  scholar,  and  possessed  of  much  natural 
ability,  and  for  some  time,  was  a  good  Saiut,  but  he  would 
not  run  the  racq;  he  eventually  fell  into  transgression,  denied 
the  faith,  and  was  lost. 

There  were  also  on  board  the  vessel,  Elder  Fullmer,  pastor 
of  the  Liverpool  Conference,  and  wife,  and  Elder  John  O. 
Angus,  President  of  the  Shropshire  Confereuce.  I  was  well 
acquaiated  with  the  latter;  he  was  a  faithful  missionary,  and 
a  quiet,  humble,  aod  iaoff^nsive  man.  He  labored  for  a  long 
time  in  the  St.  Greorge  Temple,  and  died  some  time  ago. 

Such  company  was  very  agreeable,  but  the  night  was  some- 
what stormy,  and  we  did  notreach  Glasgow  until  two  p.  m. 
next  day. 

During  this  trip,  I  visited  my  relatives  in  Glasgow,  Lanark, 
and  elsewhere,  and  also  the  Saints  in  a  district  of  the  con- 
ference where  T  had  formerly  labored.  I  felt  truly  grateful  to 
the  Lord  for  all  His  goodness  unto  me,  in  preserving  me  while 
struggling  hard  in  several  new  fields  of  labor  to  which  1  had 
been  allotted,  siuce  I  first  left  home  and  beg  an  my  labors  as  a 
missionary. 

On  the  first  day  of  September,  taking  leave  of  my  friends, 
I  embarked  on  a  steam  vessel  for  Liverpool.  Elder  John  0. 
Angus  was  also  a  passenger,  and  I,  therefore,  had  good 
company  during  a  very  stormy  passage.  Arriving  at  Liverpool, 
we  called  at  the  Church  office,  Wilton  Street,  and  lodged  at 
the  jjousej  of  Elder  A.  F.  Macdonald,  president  of  the  con- 
ference. 

I  intended  to  go  by  sea  from  Liverpool  to  Bristol,  and  by 
land  to  Salisbury,  on  my  way  back  to  Portsmouth,  as  I  had 
not  means  enough  to  go  through  by  railroad  conveyance.  I 
had  explained  this  to  Brother  Angus,  and  on  the  morning 
after  our  arrival  in  Liverpool,  I  bade  him  good  by, 
and  walked  down  to  the  docks,  carying  my  carpet  sack  and  a 


WARNED  NOT  TO  GO  ON  A  VESSEL.  57 

number  of  books,  which  I  had  brought  with  me  from  home. 
This  was  on  the  third  day  of  September,  1853. 

A  number  of  people  were  waiting  to  go  on  board  the  same 
steam  vessel  I  intended  to  take.  The  steamer  at  the  time 
was  taking  in  freight  at  the  opposite  side  of  the  dock,  and 
would  call  for  us,  so  we  were  informed,  in  a  short  time. 

While  standing  looking  at  the  vessel,  a  voice,  loud  and  dis- 
tinct, said:  "Do  not  go  on  board."  1  was  startled,  and 
looked  around,  but  there  was  no  one  near.  Although  I 
turned  hastily,  I  did  not  really  expect  to  see  any  one  who 
might  have  spoken.  It  was,  I  felt,  a  revelation;  I  was 
impressed  with  the  divine  force,  and  I  lifted  my  satchel  pre- 
paratory to  leaving,  but  suddenly  I  thought  of  my  want  of 
means,  and  began  to  wonder  whether  I  had  not  been  deceived  ■ 
by  my  imagination.  I  put  down  my  satchel  again,  just  as 
the  ship  was  nearing  that  part  of  the  dock  where  the  pas- 
sengers were  waiting.  My  condition  tempted  me.  I  was 
in  doubt  for  a  moment.  I  began  to  reason;  but  faith 
triumphed.  I  felt  sure  that  it  was  a  warning,  and,  lifting  my 
baggage,  left  the  dock  for  the  Lime  Street  Station,  as  the 
people  who  had  been  waiting  passed  into  the  steamer. 

Once  decided,  there  was  no  further  trouble,  and  I  began  to 
consider  how  I  could  reach  Portsmouth.  When  I  entered 
the  station,  I  had  concluded  to  take  the  first  third-class  train 
to  Birmingham.  At  that  time,  I  had  no  acquaintances  there, 
and  wished  to  hurry  on,  trusting  that  the  way  would  be 
opened  up  as  my  necessities  required ;  such  having  been  the 
case  many  times  before.  The  Lord  had  prepared  the  way  in 
times  past,  and  I  had  faith  that  He  would  help  me  then 
sufficiently. 

I  was  one  of  those  young  and  very  inexperienced  Elders, 
sent  into  the  missionary  field  literally  without  purse  or  scrip. 
Elder  George  B.  Wallace,  at  that  time  one  of  the  presidency 
of  the  Church  in  Europe,  sent  me  with  several  others  into 
Cumberland  County,  in  the  North  of  England,  where  there 
were  no  Saints  until  we  were  instrumental  in  the  hands  of 
the  Lord  in  bringing  some  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

It  was  a  hard  country,  and  we  had  a  rough  experience.  In 
less  than  three  months,   three    Elders  out  of  five  returned 


58  WARMLY  RECEIEVED  BY  STRANGERS. 

home ;  but  Elder  Thomas  Wallace,  now  of  Weber  County, 
and  I  remained  until  the  Lord  called  us  somewhere  else. 

I  have  been  in  many  new  fields  of  labor  since,  without 
money  and  without  friends  until  the  Lord  raised  thdm  up, 
but  never  among  a  people  so  ignorant,  and  unimpressionable 
as  the  people  we  could  obtain  access  to  in  the  North  of 
England.  In  comparison,  my  prospects,  as  I  walked  into  the 
Lime  Street  Station,  were  not  at  all  discouraging,  but  as  I 
entered,  there  stood  Brother  Angus,  who  was  waiting  for  a 
train  to  take  him  to  Shrewsbury. 

He  was  surprised  to  see  me,  and  I  was  a  little  abashed,  as  I 
felt  somewhat  delicate  about  giving  him  an  explanation. 
Although  satisfied  myself,  I  had  some  misgivings  about 
satisfjdng  him.  1  told  him,  however,  what  had  happened, 
and,  to  my  relief,  he  said,  putting  his  hand  on  my  shoulder, 
"You  have  done  just  right,  and  you  will  see  the  hand  of  God 
in  this." 

A  third-class  train,  I  learned,  would  not  leave  until  next 
morning,  so  I  lodged  with  Brother  TurnbuU,  who  had  returned 
to  Liverpool. 

The  next  day  I  went  to  Birmingham,  and  there  learned  that  a 
cheap  excursion  train  would  leave  for  Bristol  at  five  p.  m. 
Bristol — going  by  land — was  not  directly  on  my  way,  but  the 
fare  being  low,  and  going  from  there  to  Warminster  and 
Salisbury,  I  was  likely  to  reach  Portsmouth  sooner  than  any 
other  way. 

In  the  cars,  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  lady  and  gentle- 
man also  going  to  Bristol,  to  visit  some  relatives  they  had  in 
that  town.  After  an  interesting  conversation  they  invited  me 
to  take  lunch  with  them,  which  was  very  acceptable,  and  on 
our  arrival  at  Bristol,  they  pressed  me  to  accompany  them  to 
their  friend's  house,  where  I  remained  all  night,  being 
warmly  received  and  well  treated. 

I  had  not  quite  a  dollar  in  my  possession,  and  I  acknowledge 
the  hand  of  the  Lord  in  thus  opening  up  the  way  for  me. 

On  reaching  Warminster  next  day  at  six  p.  m. ,  I  had  only 
twelve  cents  left,  and  a  heavy  carpet  sack,  which  I  took  to  a 
carrier  who  made  occasional  trips  with  freight  to  Salisbury, 


MEANS  PROVIDENTIALLY  PROVIDED.  59 

and  I  started  at  once  to  walk  to  the  latter    place,   distant 
twenty-two  miles. 

It  was  evening  and  the  weather  pleasant,  and  the  distance 
nothing  unusual  for  a  missionary,  but  I  made  a  mistake  by 
starting  out  too  fast,  perspired,  got  tired,  and  was  obliged  to 
take  lodging  at  a  small  way-side  inn,  which  cost  me  eight 
cents.  I  slept  without  supper  and  resumed  my  journey  without 
breakfast  the  next  morning,  but  thanking  the  Lord  for  good 
health  and  spirits. 

On  reaching  Salisbury,  where  I  was  a  perfect  stranger,  I 
walked  into  the  town  with  the  intention  of  inquiring  for  - 
Latter-day  Saints,  a  few  of  whom  I  understood  lived  there. 
My  first  inquiry  was  of  a  little  boy,  who  quickly  answered 
"Yes,  my  mother  is  one,"  and  at  once  offered  to  conduct  me 
to  his  home,  which  we  soon  reached,  and  to  which. I  was 
warmly  welcomed. 

On  passing  through  the  streets,  I  saw,  posted  upon  the 
walls,  announcements  of  an  excursion  trip  to  Southampton 
and  Portsmouth,  fare  two  shillings  and  six  pence,  or  sixty- 
two  cents  in  our  money.  Reflecting  upon  the  means  of 
obtaining  such  a  sum  without  being  obliged  to  write  and 
wait  for  it,  we  reached  the  house  of  my  guide's  mother. 

From  the  boy's  statement  that  his  mother  was  a  "Mormon," 
I  got  the  impression  that  his  father,  if  he  had  one,  was  not, 
which  I  found  to  be  correct.  His  father  was  not  very  friendly, 
but  his  mother  was  a  very  earnest  Saint,  and  a  very  thought- 
ful and  kind  one,  as  while  I  sat  taking  some  refreshments 
which  she  had  hastily  prepared,  she  brought  and  gave  me  a 
piece  of  money,  the  exact  amount  necessary  to  procure  my 
ticket  to  Portsmouth.  I  again  thanked  the  Lord,  and 
explained  to  my  kind  sister  what  her  gift  would  enable  me  to 
do.  The  boy  had  in  the  meantime,  by  her  instructions, 
brought  my  carpet  sack,  and  I  was  ready  to  continue  my 
journey. 

I  reached  Portsmouth  on  the  7th  day  of  September,  and 
while  there  on  the  yth,  I  read  in  the  newspaper  of  the  total 
wreck  of  the  steam  vessel,  on  which  I  was  about  to  sail  from 
Liverpool,  when  I  was  warned  by  the  Lord  not  to  go  on  board 
the  ship. 


60  MISSIONARIES  CALLED  HOME. 


MY  LAST    MISSION    TO    THE 
SANDWICH   ISLANDS. 


BY    ^A^M.    W.    CLUFF. 


CHAPTER  X 

ELDERS  CALLED  HOME  FROM  THE  SANDWICH  ISLANDS — NATIVE 
ELDERS  LEFT  TO  PRESIDE — GIBSON 'S  ARRIVAL  IN  SALT 
LAKE — JOINS  THE  CHURCH — ASKS  FOR  A  MISSION  TO 
THE  SANDWICH  ISLANDS— HIS  DEEP-LAID  SCHEME- 
LEADING  ASTRAY  THE  HAW^AIIAN  SAINTS— FIVE  ELDERS 
SENT  TO  INVESTIGATE — ARRIVAL  AT  THE  SANDWICH 
ISLANDS— ATTEMPT  TO  GO  ASHORE  IN  A  BOAT— CAPSIZED 
IN  THE  SURF — ELDER  LORENZO  SNOW  LOST — ^AFTER  A 
LONG  SEARCH,  FOUND  UNDER  THE  BOAT — ^EFFORTS  TO 
RESUSCITATE  HIM — RESTORED  TO  LIFE  ONE  HOUR  AFTER 
BEING  DROWNED. 

IN  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1857,  a  United  States  armj^ 
was  marching  towards  Utah,  evidently  with  hostile  inten- 
tions towards  its  people.  It  was  thought  wisdom,  by  the 
authorities  of  the  Church,  to  concentrate  the  strength  of  the 
Saints  for  any  emergency,  by  calling  home  the  Elders  that 
were  on  foreign  missions. 

When  the  last  of  the  Elders  from  Utah  left  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  on  the  Lst  of  May,  1858,  the  care  of  the  Saints  on 
each  of  the  islands  was  entrusted  to  a  native  Elder.  Kaili- 
hiine  was  appointed  to  preside  over  the  gathering  place  on 
Lanai.  He  was  among  the  first  fruits  of  the  labors  of  the 
Elders,  and  for  a  long  time  had  been  very  efficient  and  faith- 
ful. 

During  our  difficulties  with  the  government  Walter  M. 
Gribson,  an  adventurer,  came  to  Utah.     His  ostensible  object 


GIBSON  ASKS   FOR  A  MISSION.  61 

was  to  induce  President  Young,  and  the  general  Church 
authorities,  to  remove  our  people  en  masse^  to  the  East  India 
Islands.  He  painted,  in  glowing  colors,  the  splendid  facilities 
and  opportunities  those  islands  offered  for  immigration  and 
colonization,  by  an  enterprising  and  industrious  people  like 
the  Latter-day  Saints. 

In  his  ignorance,  he  supposed  that  the  object  of  the 
founder  and  leaders  of  the  Church  was  to  found  a  powerful 
and  independent  nation.  The  object  of  these  schemes  was, 
evidently,  his  own  personal  aggrandizement. 

It  had,  no  doubt,  been  a  favorite  project  of  his,  for  years, 
to  found  a  government  somewhere  on  the  islands  :f  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean.  Failing  in  his  scheme  for  the  removal  of  the 
Church,  some  other  plan  must  be  devised  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  his  cherished  purpose. 

He  professed  to  become  a  convert  to  our  faith,  and  was 
baptized  into  the  Church.  He  then  requested  to  be  sent  on 
a  mission  to  the  Polynesian  Islands.  He  desired  a  roving 
commission  from  the  Presidency  of  the  Church,  authorizing 
him  to  travel  and  preach,  on  any  or  all  of  the  islands,  in  the 
Pacific  Ocean. 

Before  leaving  Salt  Lake  City,  Mr.  Gibson  made  it  a  spec- 
ialty to  converse,  with  the  Elders  who  had  lately  returned 
from  the  Sandwich  Islands.  He  sought  to  be  well  informed 
on  the  general  condition  of  the  islands,  the  customs,  tradi- 
tions, and  general  character  of  the  natives,  and,  especially  did 
he  seek  to  be  well  informed  as  to  the  numbers,  organization, 
location,  and  general  condition  of  the  native  Saints.  His 
object,  in  this,  developed  afterwards. 

When  he  left  Utah  he  went  directly  to  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
He  soon  found  some  of  the  Saints,  and  represented  to  them, 
that  he  had  been  sent  by  President  Young,  not  only  to  take 
charge  of  the  mission  on  those  islands,  but  to  preside  over  all 
the  churches  that  might  be  raised  up  on  any  of  the  Pacific 
islands,  and,  in  that  capacity,  that  he  was  equal  to,  and 
entirely  independent  of  President  iToung. 

The  native  Saints  had  been  left  about  two  years  to  them- 
selves. They  were  naturally  simple  and  credulous,  and  it  was 
easy  to  impose  upon  them. 


62  HIS  DEEP-LAID  SCHEME. 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Gribson  acquired  some  knowledge  of  the 
native  language,  he  commenced  traveling  among  the  branches 
of  the  Church,  and  grafted  on  to  the  gospel,  many  of  the  old 
traditio.  s  and  superstitions  of  the  Hawaiians.  He  reorgan- 
ized the  Church,  or,  more  properly  speaking,  reconstructed  it 
in  accordance  with  his  own  notions,^  throughout  the  islands. 

He  was  one  of  those  characters,  of  whom  the  apostle  Peter 
warned  the  Saints  in  his  day,  "and  through  covetousness 
shall  they  with  feigned  words  make  merchandise  of  you. ' '  He 
ordained  twelve  apostles,  and  charged  them  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  each  for  initiating  them  into  the  office,  and  charged 
High  Priests,  Seventies,  etc,  proportionately,  according  to 
the  presumed  importance  of  the  offices. 

By  this  and  other  impositions,  he  succeeded  in  raising  suf- 
ficient means  for  the  purchase  of  one  half  of  the  island  of 
Lanai.  Some  years  before  the  Elders  had  leased  the  same 
tract  of  laudj  of  Halelea,  a  native  chief,  for  a  temporary 
gathering  place  for  the  Saints. 

Mr.  Gibson  represented  to  the  Saints  that  he  was  securing 
the  land  for  them,  but  that  it  would  have  to  be  deeded  to 
him  for  them. 

For  the  accomplishment  of  his  purpose,  concentration  and 
organization  were  necessary.  He  continued  to  gather  the 
Saints  U.-  Lanai.  There  he  organized  all  the  males,  old  and 
young,  into  companions,  and  daily  drilled  them  in  the  art  of 
war.  He  informed  them  that,  as  soon  as  they  were  properly 
disciplined,  it  was  his  intention  to  build  or  purchase  a  vessel, 
equip  it,  and  sail  for  one  of  the  South  Sea  Islands.  He 
would  seek  a  favorable  opportunity,  conquer  the  natives,  leave 
some  of  his  disciplined  men  in  charge  of  the  conquered  terri- 
tory, and  fill  up  his  depleted  ranks  with  raw  recruits. 

In  this  way,  he  designed  to  conquer  one  island  after  another, 
until  he  organized  a  large  fleet,  and  subjugated  all  the  Poly- 
nesian Islands.  Thus  he  hoped  to  realize  his  wildest  dreams 
by  organizing,  as  he  expressed  it,  "One  great  grand  empire,^ ^ 
that  would  be  able  to  take  its  place  among  the  leading  nations 
of  the  earth. 

His  every  act  from  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  Utah,  had 
been  designed  fot  his  own  aggrandizement.    He  had  learned 


ELDERS   SENT  TO  THE  SANDWICH  ISLANDS.  63 

nothiog  of  the  spirit  and  power  of  the  gospel.  The  Lord  is 
establishing  His  kingdom,  and  he  was  fighting  against  it.  If 
he  has  not  already  done  so,  he  will  yet  realize  the  truth  of 
the  saying  of  the  Savi.r,  in  his  teachings,  when,  on  his  earthly 
mission,  he  likened  the  Kingdom  of  Grod  to  a  stone,  and 
said,  "And  whosoever  shall  fall  on  this  stone  shall  be  broken: 
but  on  whomsoever  it  may  fall,  it  will  grind  him  to  powder." 

Notwithstanding  the  Saints  had  been  gradually  led  astray 
by  Mr.  Gribson,  they  felt  that  his  teachings  and  practices  were 
not  the  same  as  those  of  the  Elders  who  had  labored  among 
them  before  his  coming. 

Fearing  they  might  be  deceived,  some  eight  of  the  native 
Elders  wrote  to  brethren  in  Utah  who  had  labored  for  many 
years  among  them.  They  stated  some  of  the  facts  concern- 
ing Mr.  Gibson's  course,  and  asked  for  advice.  This  commu- 
nication was  translated  and  submitted  to  President  Young. 

The  First  Presidency  decided  that  Apostles  E.  T.  Benson 
and  Lorenzo  Snow  should  visit  the  islands,  and  that  Elders 
Joseph.  F.  Smith,  Alma  L.  Smith,  and  myself,  who  had  pre- 
viously been  on  missions  to  the  islands  and  understood  the 
native  language,  should  accompany  them. 

We  arrived  at  Honolulu,  the  capital  of  the  islands,  about 
the  27th  of  March,  1864.  On  the  29th  we  sailed  for  Lahaina, 
on  the  schooner,  Nettie  Merrill^  Captain  Fisher,  for  the  island 
of  Maui,  a  distance  of  about  ninety  miles  from  Honolulu. 
On  the  morning  of  the  31st  of  March,  we  came  to  anchor  about 
one  mile  from  the  mouth  of  the  little  harbor  of  Lahaina. 

Apostles  Ezra  T.  Benson,  Lorenzo  Snow,  Brother  Alma  L. 
Smith,  and  myself,  got  into  the  small  boat  to  go  ashore. 
Brother  Joseph  F.  Smith,  as  he  afterwards  stated,  had  some 
misgivings  about  going  in  that  boat,  but  the  manifestation 
was  not  sufficiently  strong  to  indicate  any  general  accident. 
He  preferred  to  remain  on  board  the  vessel,  until  the  boat 
returned. 

The  boat  started  for  the  shore.  It  contained  some  barrels 
and  boxes,  the  captain,  a  white  man,  two  or  three  native  pas- 
engers,  and  the  boat's  crew,  who  were  also  natives. 

The  entrance  to  the  harbor  is  a  very  narrow  passage  between 
coral  reefs,  and  when  the  sea  is  rough  it  is  very  dangerous,  on 


64  BOAT  CAPSIZED. 

account  of  the  breakers.  Where  the  vessel  lay  the  sea  was 
not  rough,  but  only  presented  the  appearance  of  heavy  swells 
rolling  to  the  shore. 

As  we  approached  the  reef  it  was  evident  to  me,  that  the 
surf  was  running  higher  than  we  anticipated.  I  called  the 
captain's  attention  to  the  fact.  We  were  running  quartering 
across  the  waves,  and  I  suggested  that  we  change  our  course 
so  as  to  run  at  right  angles  with  them.  He  replied,  that  he 
did  not  think  there  was  any  danger,  and  our  course  was  not 
changed.  We  went  but  little  farther,  when  a  heavy  swell 
struck  the  boat  and  carried  us  before  it  about  fifty  yards. 
When  the  swell  passed  it  left  us  in  a  trough  between  two 
huge  waves. 

It  was  too  late  to  retrieve  our  error,  and  we  must  run  our 
chances.  When  the  second  swell  struck  the  boat,  it  raised 
the  stern  so  high  that  the  steersman's  oar  was  out  of  the 
water,  and  he  lost  control  of  the  boat.  It  rode  on  the  swell 
a  short  distance,  and  swung  around  just  as  the  wave  began 
to  break  up.  We  were  almost  instantly  capsized,  into  the 
dashing,  foaming  sea. 

I  felt  no  concern  for  myself  about  drowning,  for  while  on 
my  former  mission  I  had  learned  to  swim  and  sport  in  the 
surf  of  those  shores. 

The  last  I  remembered  of  Brother  Snow,  as  the  boat  was 
going  over  I  saw  him  seize  the  upper  edge  of  it  with  both 
hands.  Fearing  that  the  upper  edge  of  the  boat',  or  the 
barrels,  might  hit  and  injure  me  as  the  boat  was  going  over, 
I  plunged  head  foremost  into  the  water.  After  swimming  a 
short  distance,  I  came  to  the  surface  without  being  strangled 
or  injured. 

The  boat  was  bottom  upwards,  and  barrels,  hats,  and 
umberellas  were  floating  in  every  direction.  I  swam  to  the 
boat  and  as  there  was  nothing  to  cling  to  on  the  bottom,  I 
reached  under  and  seized  the  edge  of  it. 

About  the  same  time,  brother  Benson  came  up  near  me, 
and  readily  got  hold  of  the  boat. 

The  natives  soon  appeared,  and  swam  about  quite  uncon- 
cerned for  their  own  safety.  Brother  Alma  L.  Smith  came 
up  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  boat  from  brother  Benson  and 


ELDER  LORENZO   SNOW  LOST.  65 

myself.      He  was  considerably  strangled,  but  succeeded  in 
securing  a  hold  on  the  boat. 

A  short  time  afterwards  the  captain  was  discovered,  about 
fifty  yards  from  us.  Two  of  his  sailors  swam  to  his  assistance, 
and,  one  on  each  side,  succeeded  in  keeping  him  on  the  surface, 
although  life  was  apparently  extinct. 

Nothing  yet  had  been  seen  of  Brother  Snow,  although  the 
natives  had  been  swimming  and  diving  in  every  direction  in 
search  of  him.  We  were  only  about  one  fourth  of  a  mile 
from  the  shore.  The  people,  as  soon  as  they  discovered  our 
circumstances,  manned  a  life  boat  and  hurried  to  the  rescue. 

We  were  taken  into  the  boat,  when  the  crew  wanted  to  row 
for  the  shore,  and  pick  up  the  captain  on  the  way.  We  told 
them  that  one  of  our  friends  was  yet  missing,  and  we  did  not 
want  to  leave,  as  long  as  there  was  any  possibility  of  a  chance 
to  render  him  assistance.  We  discovered  that  a  second  boat 
haa  left  the  shore,  and  could  reach  the  captain  as  soon  as  the 
one  we  were  in.  Seeing  this,  the  crew  of  the  boat  we  were 
in,  consented  to  remain  and  assist  us. 

The  captain  was  taken  ashore,  and,  by  working  over  him 
for  some  time,  was  brought  to  life. 

The  life  of  Captain  Fisher  would  not,  probably,  have  been 
much  endangered,  except  for  a  sack  of  four  or  five  hundred 
dollars  in  silver  which  he  held  in  his  hand.  This  he  clung  to 
with  great  tenacity.  When  the  boat  capsized  the  weight  of 
it  took  him  at  once  to  the  bottom.  The  natives  dove 
and  brought  him  up,  still  clinging  to  the  sack.  When  his 
vitality  was  restored,  the  first  thing  he  inquired  about  was 
the  money;  intimating  to  the  natives,  with  peculiar  emphasis, 
that  it  would  not  have  been  healthy  for  them  to  have  lost  it. 

Brother  Snow  had  not  yet  been  discovered,  and  the  anxiety 
was  intense.  The  natives  were,  evidently,  doing  all  in  their 
power. 

Finally,  one  of  them,  in  edging  himself  around  the  cap 
sized  boat,  must  have  felt  Brother  Snow  with  his  feet  and 
pulled  him,  at  least  partly,  from  under  it,  as  the  first  I  saw 
of  Brother  Snow  was  his  hair  floating  upon  the  water  as  the 
native  was  dragging  him  through  the  water  around  one  end 
of  the  capsized  boat.     As  soon  as  we  got  him  into  our  boati 


66  ELDER  SNOW  RESTORED  TO  LIFE. 

we  told  the  boatmen  to  pull  for  the  shore  with  all  possible 
speed.     His  body  was  stiff,  and  life  was  evidently  extinct. 

Brother  Alma  L.  Smith  and  myself  were  sitting  side  by 
side.  We  laid  Brother  Snow  across  our  laps,  and,  on  the 
way  to  shore,  we  quietly  administered  to  him  and  asked  the 
Lord  to  spare  his  life,  that  he  might  return  to  his  family  and 
home. 

On  reaching  the  shore,  we  carried  him  a  little  way,  to  some 
large  empty  barrels  that  were  lying  on  the  sandy  beach.  We 
laid  him,  face  downwards,  on  one  of  these,  and  rolled  him 
back  and  forth  until  we  succeeded  in  getting  the  water  that 
he  had  swallowed  out  of  him. 

During  this  time,  a  number  of  persons  came  down  from 
the  town;  among  them  was  Mr.  E.  P.  Adams,  a  merchant.  Al 
were  willing  to  do  what  they  could.  We  washed  Brother 
Snow's  face  with  camphor,  furnished  by  Mr.  Adams.  We 
did  not  only  what  was  customary  in  such  cases,  but  also  what 
the  spirit  seemed  to  whisper  to  us. 

After  working  over  him  for  some  time,  without  any  indi- 
cations of  returning  life,  the  bystanders  said  that  nothing 
more  could  be  done  for  him.  But  we  did  not  feel  like  giving 
him  up,  and  still  prayed  and  worked  over  him,  with  an 
assurance  that  the  Lord  would  hear  and  answer  our  prayers. 

Finally  we  were  impressed  to  place  our  mouth  over  his  and 
make  an  effort  to  inflate  his  lungs,  alternately  blowing  in  and 
drawing  out  the  air,  imitating,  as  far  as  possible,  the  natural 
process  of  breathing.  This  we  persevered  in  until  we  suc- 
ceeded in  inflating  his  lungs.  After  a  little,  there  were  very 
faint  indications  of  returning  vitality.  A  slight  wink  of  the 
eye,  which,  until  then,  had  been  open  and  deathlike,  and  a 
very  faint  rattle  in  the  throat,  were  the  first  symptoms  of 
returning  life.  These  grew  more  and  more  distinct,  until 
consciousness  was  fully  restored. 

When  this  result  was  reached,  it  must  have  been  fully  an 
hour  after  the  capsizing  of  the  boat.  A  Portuguese  man, 
living  in  Lahaina,  who,  from  the  first,  rendered  us  much 
assistance,  invited  us  to  take  Brother  Snow  to  his  house. 
There  being  no  Saints  in  the  place,  we  gladly  accepted  his 
kind  offer. 


ELDER  snow's  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  ACCIDENT.  67 

Every  possible  attention  was  given  to  Brother  Snow's 
comfort. 

Persons  in  danger  and  excitement,  often  see  things  a  little 
differently.  The  following  is  Apostle  Snow's  account  of  the 
capsizing  of  the  boat : 

'  'As  we  were  moving  along  within  some  half  a  mile  from 
the  point  where  we  expected  to  land,  my  attention  was  sud- 
denly arrested  by  Captain  Fisher  calling  to  the  oarsmen,  in  a 
voice  which  denoted  some  alarm,  'Hurry  up  !  hurry  up!'  I 
quickly  discovered  the  cause  of  alarm. 

"A  short  distance  behind  us,  I  saw  an  immense  surf,  thirty 
or  forty  feet  high,  rushing  towards  us  swifter  than  a  race 
horse.  We  had  scarcely  a  moment  for  reflection  before  the 
huge  mass  was  upon  us.  In  an  instant  our  boat,  with  its 
contents,  as  though  it  were  only  a  feather,  was  hurled  into 
the  briny  water,  and  we  were  under  this  rolling,  seething, 
mountain  wave. 

'  'This  was  certainly  unexpected.  It  took  me  by  surprise. 
I  think,  however,  that  I  soon  comprehended  the  situation: 
that  we  were  in  the  midst  of  the  turbulent  waters,  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  the  shore,  without  much  probability  of 
receiving  human  aid. 

'  'I  felt  confident,  however,  that  there  would  be  some  way 
of  escape ;  that  the  Lord  would  provide  the  means,  for  it  was 
not  possible  that  my  life  and  mission  were  thus  to  terminate. 
This  reliance  on  the  Lord  banished  fear,  and  inspired  me 
with  hope  up  to  the  last  moment  of  consciousness. 

"Having  been  somewhat  subject  to  fainting  spells,  I  believe 
that  after  a  few  moments  in  the  water,  I  must  have  fainted, 
as  I  did  not  suffer  the  pain  common  in  the  experience  of 
drowning  persons.  I  had  been  in  the  water  only  a  few 
moments,  until  I  lost  consciousness. 

"The  first  I  knew  afterwards,  I  was  on  shore  receiving  the 
kind  and  tender  attentions]  of  my  brethren.  The  first  recol- 
lection I  have  of  returning  consciousness,  was  seeing  a  very 
small  light,  the  smallest  maginable.  This  soon  disappeared, 
and  I  was  again  in  total  darkness.  Again  it  appeared,  much 
larger  than  before,  then  sank  away  and  left  me,  as  before,  in 
forgetfulness.  Thus  it  continued  to  come  and  go,  until,  finally, 


68  THANKFUL  FOR  OUR  DELIVERANCE. 

I  recognized,  as  I  thought,  persons  whispering,  and  soon 
after  I  asked  in  a  feeble  whisper,  'What  is  the  matter  ?' 

"I  immediately  recognized  the  voice  of  Elder  ClufF,  as  he 
replied,  'You  have  been  drowned  ;  the  boat  upset  in  the  surf. ' 
Quick  as  lightning,  the  scene  of  our  disaster  flashed  upon  my 
mind.  I  immediately  asked,  'Are  you  brethren  all  safe?' 
The  emotion  that  was  awakened  in  my  bosom  by  the  answer 
of  Elder  Cluif,  will  remain  as  long  as  life  continues :  'Brother 
Snow,  we  are  all  safe. ' 

"I*  rapidly  recovered,  and  very  soon  was  able  to  walk  and 
accompany  the  brethren  to  our  lodgings. ' ' 

As  soon  as  Brother  Snow  was  out  of  danger,  it  occurred  to 
me  that  I  had  better  return  to  the  vessel. 
^   As  I  reached  the  deck,  by  the  rope  ladder  over  its  side,  I 
saw,  at  a  glance,  that  Brother  Smith  was  under  great  anxiety 
of  mind. 

We  were  both  under  an  intensity  of  feeling,  which  men 
usually  experience  only  a  few  times  in  their  lives.     Brother 
Smith  had  been  informed  by  a  native  that  the  captain  and 
an  elderly  white  man  were  drowned.     The  latter,  he  supposed ' 
to  be  Brother  Benson,  hence  his  great  anxiety. 

My  own  nervous  system  was  strung  up  to  an  extreme 
tension  by  the  events  of  the  past  two  hours.  When  I  told 
Brother  Smith  that  all  were  safe,  the  sudden  revulsion  of 
feeling  almost  overcame  him.  We  rejoiced  together  that 
through  a  merciful  Providence,  and  the  faith  that  had  been 
bestowed  upon  us,  we^were  all  alive. 


JOURNEY  TO  LANAT.  69 


CHAPTER  11. 

JOURNEY  TO  LANAI— MEET  MR.  GIBSON— REVERENCE  OF 
NATIVES  FOR  HIM — HIS  SPEECH  AND  ASSUMPTION — 
ELDER  JOSEPH  F.  SMITH' S  REPLY — ELDER  SNOW's 
PROPHECY —  MR.  GIBSON  CUT  OFF  THE  CHURCH — ELDER 
snow's  prophecy  fulfilled — ^ADVISED  TO  SELECT  A 
NEW  GATHERING  PLACE^A  VISION — SUITABLE  PLACE 
POINTED   OUT. 

ON  the  2nd  of  April,  Brother  Snow  had  so  far  recovered 
his  strength,  that  it  was  thought  best  to  pursue  our  journey. 
We  hired  some  natives  to  take  us  in  an  open  boat  across  the 
channel,  sixteen  miles,  to  Lanai.  We  arrived  at  the  landing 
place,  three  miles  from  the  village,  just  at  dark.  We  sent  a 
messenger  to  Mr.  Gibson,  with  the  request  that  he  would 
send  down  some  saddle  horses  for  us  to  ride  up  in  the  morn- 
ing. 

Early  the  following  morning,  April  3rd,  the  horses  were 
ready  for  us.  An  hour's  ride  over  a  rough,  rocky  road 
brought  us  to  the  settlement.  Our  reception  by  Mr.  Gibson, 
and  most  of  the  native  Saints,  was  cool  and  very  formal.  Many 
improvements  had  been  made  since  our  last  visit,  that  were 
praiseworthy,  and  reflected  great  credit  on  Mr.  Gibson. 

After  breakfast,  Apostles  Benson  and  Snow  engaged  in 
conversation  with  Mr.  Gibson  on  the  affairs  of  the  mission. 

That  day  and  the  following,  were  principally  spent  in 
laboring  with  Mr.  Gibson  and  the  native  Elders,  to  get  them, 
if  possible,  to  see  the  condition  they  were  in.  During  this 
time.  Brothers  Joseph  F.  Smith,  Alma  L.  Smith  and  myself, 
took  a  ride  around  the  valley  accompanied  by  Mr.  Gibson's 
daughter,  as  our  guide.  About  one-half  of  a  mile  from  Mr. 
Gibson's  residence,  was  a  large  rock,  the  top  several  feet 
above  the  ground.  Mr.  Gibson  had  a  chamber  cut  into  this 
rock,  in  which  he  had  deposited  a  Book  of  Mormon,  and 
other  things,  and  called  it  the  corner  stone  of  a  great  temple, 


70  REVERENCE  OF  THE  NATIVES  FOR  GIBSON. 

which  would  be  erected  there.  A  frame  work  of  poles  had 
been  constructed,  in  a  circular  form  around  this  rock,  and 
this  was  covered  with  brush. 

Mr.  Gibson,  by  appealing  to  the  pagan  superstitions  of  the 
natives,  made  them  believe  that  this  spot  was  sacred,  and  if 
any  person  touched  it,  he  would  be  struck  dead. 

So  much  faith  had  the  daughter  of  Mr.  G-ibson  in  the 
teachings  of  her  father,  that  she  related,  apparently  in  good 
faith,  the  circumstance  of  a  hen  flying  upon  the  boothe,  and 
immediately  falling  down  dead. 

Notwithstanding  the  protest  of  Miss  Gibson,  that  it  was 
very  dangerous  to  do  so,  we  went  inside  of  the  brush  struc- 
ture, and  examined  the  rock  and  came  out  unharmed. 

We  were  further  informed  that  Mr.  Gibson  had  succeeded 
in  surrounding  his  own  person  and  residence  with  such  a 
halo  of  sacredness  in  the  minds  of  the  natives,  that  they 
always  entered  his  house  on  their  hands  and  knees. 

This  was  repeated  on  other  occasions.  It  was  the  old 
customary  way,  in  which  the  natives  had  been  in  the  habit  of 
paying  respect  to  their  kings,  and  the  custom  had  been  revived 
by  Mr.  Gibson,  in  order  to  increase  his  personal  prestige. 

We  had  previously  learned  that  the  Saints  would  assemble 
in  conference  on  the  6th  of  April.  At  ten  o'clock,  a.  m., 
they  had  assembled  in  the  meeting  house.  We  all  started 
to  go  in,  when  Mr.  Gibson  made  some  excuse  for  returning  to 
his  house.  We  went  and  took  our  seats  on  the  stand.  The 
house  was  well  filled.  In  a  few  minutes  Mr.  Gibson  made 
his  appearance.  As  soon  as  he  entered  the  door,  the  entire 
congregation  instantly  arose  to  their  feet,  and  remained  stand- 
ing until  he  was  seated  on  the  stand.  The  execution  of  this 
act  of  reverence  evinced  long  and  careful  training. 

Mr.  Gibson  had,  doubtless,  delayed  his  entrance,  to  make  a 
fitting  opportunity  for  this  exhibition.  He  entirely  ignored 
the  presence  of  the  Apostles,  and,  after  the  people  were 
seated,  arose  and  gave  out  the  opening  hymn.  This  act  gave 
evidence,  at  once,  that  he  had  no  proper  idea  of  the  organ- 
ization and  authority  of  the  Priesthood.  Seeing  this, 
President  Benson  called  on  me  to  pray. 


Gibson's  speech  and  assumption.  71 

Without  giving  any  time  for  consultation,  as  soon  as  the 
second  hymn  was  sung,  Mr.  Gibson  arose  to  his  feet  and  com- 
menced to  address  the  congregation,  in  substance  as  follows : 
"My  dear  red-skinned  brethren,  sisters  and  friends,  I  presume 
you  are  all  wondering,  and  anxious  to  know  why  these 
strangers  have  come  so  suddenly  among  us,  without  giving 
us  any  notice  of  their  coming.  I  will  assure  you  of  one 
thing,  my  red-skinned  friends,  when  I  find  out,  I  will  be 
sure  to  let  you  know,  for  I  am  your  father,  and  will  protect 
you  in  your  rights. 

"These  strangers  may  say  they  are  your  friends,  but  let  me 
remind  you  how,  when  they  lived  here,  years  ago,  they  lived 
upon  your  very  scanty  substance.  Did  they  make  any  such 
improvements  as  you  see  I  have. made?  Did  I  not  come  here 
and  find  you  without  a  father,  poor,  and  discouraged?  Did  I 
not  gather  you  together  here,  and  make  all  these  improve- 
ments that  you  to-day  enjoy? 

"Now,  you,  my  red-skinned  friends,  must  decide  who  your 
friend  and  father  is ;  whether  it  is  these  strangers,  or  I,  who 
have  done  so  much  for  you. ' ' 

When  he  took  his  seat.  President  Benson  requested  Brother 
Joseph  F.  Smith  to  talk,  rather  intimating  that  it  was 
desirable  to  speak  on  general  principles,  and  that  he  need  not 
feel  bound  to  notice  all  that  Mr.  Gibson  had  said. 

It  seemed  impossible  for  any  man  to  speak  with  greater 
power  and  demonstration  of  the  Spirit.  He  referred  the 
Saints  to  the  labors  of  Brother  George  Q.  Cannon,  and  the 
first  Elders  who  brought  them  the  gospel. 

He  reminded  them  of  facts  with  which  the  older  Saints 
were  well  acquainted — the  great  disadvantage  the  Elders 
labored  under,  and  the  privations  they  suffered  in  first  preach- 
ing the  gospel  on  the  islands.  How  they  slept  in  their 
then  miserable  huts,  and  lived  as  they  lived;  how  they 
traveled  on  foot,  in  storms,  and  in  bad  weather,  from  village 
to  village,  and  from  house  to  house,  exposing  health  and 
life ;  how  they  went  destitute  of  clothing,  and  what  they  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  considering  the  necessaries  of  life,  to 
bring  them  the  blessings  of  the  gospel,  without  money  and 
without  price. 


72  HIS  COURSE  INVESTIGATED. 

He  asked  by  what  right  Mr.  Gibson  called  himself  the 
father  of  the  people,  and  the  Elders  who  faithfully  labored  to 
establish  them  in  the  gospel  strangers. 

The  spirit  and  power  that  accompanied  Brother  Smith's 
remarks  astonished  the  Saints  and  opened  their  eyes.  They 
began  to  see  how  they  had  been  imposed  upon.  Every  word 
he  spoke  found  a  response  in  their  hearts,  as  was  plainly 
manifest  by  their  eager  looks  and  animated  countenances. 

There  was  another  meeting  in  the  afternoon,  in  which 
Apostles  Benson  and  Snow  addressed  the  Saints.  Their 
remarks  were  interpreted  by  Elder  Joseph  F.  Smith. 

On  the  7th,  there  was  a  meeting  in  the  forenoon.  A 
Priesthood  meeting  was  appointed  for  the  evening,  and  the 
conference  adjourned  sine  die. 

The  meeting  of  the  Priesthood  in  the  evening  was  well 
attended,  as  it  was  understood  that  Mr.  Gibson's  course 
would  be  investigated.  The  complaints  that  were  made  by  the 
native  Elders,  in  the  communication  that  led  to  our  present 
mission,  were  read,  and  Mr.  Gibson  was  called  on  to  make 
answer  to  the  charges. 

In  addition  to  nearly  a  repetition  of  his  harangue  at  the 
meeting  on  the  day  previous,  his  reply  consisted  of  a  bom- 
bastic display  of  some  letters  of  appointment,  and  recom- 
mendations from  President  Young,  to  which  he  attached  large 
seals,  bedecked  with  a  variety  of  colored  ribbons,  to  give 
them  an  air  of  importance,  and  official  significance,  in  the 
eyes  of  the  unsophisticated  natives. 

These  papers  he  held  up  before  the  people,  and,  pointing 
to  them  said,  with  great  emphasis,  ''Here  is  my  authority, 
which  I  received  direct  from  President  Brigham  Young.  I 
don't  hold  myself  accountable  to  these  men!"  meaning  the 
Apostles  and  those  who  came  with  them. 

Had  there  been  no  other  proof  of  the  wrong  course  of  Mr. 
Gibson,  that  remark  was  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  brethren 
what  their  plain  duty  was,  and  they  acted  promptly  in  the 
matter. 

Apostle  E.  T.  Benson  followed  Mr.  Gibson.  He  reviewed 
Mr.  Gibson's  past  course,  and  showed  that,  in  making 
merchandise  of  the  offices  of  the  Priesthood,  introducing  the 


ELDER  snow's  PROPHECY.  73 

former  pagan  superstitions  of  the  people,  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  power,  and  his  idea  of  establishing  a  temporal  and 
independent  kingdom  on  the  Pacific  isles,  were  all  in  antagon- 
ism to  the  plan  laid  down  in  the  gospel  for  the  redemption  of 
man.  The  spirit  manifested  by  Mr.  Gibson  proved  that  he  was 
ignorant  of  the  powers  of  the  Priesthood,  or  that  he  ignored 
them  for  purely  selfish  motives.  What  they  had  seen  and 
heard  since  their  arrival,  proved  that  the  complaints  made  by 
the  native  Elders,  in  their  letters  to  Utah,  were  correct,  as 
far  as  they  went,  but  the  half  had  not  been  told. 

Brother  Benson's  remarks  were  interpreted,  after  which,  it 
was  motioned  that  Mr.  Gribson's  course  be  disapproved. 
When  this  was  put  to  a  vote,  all  but  one  of  the  native  Elders 
voted  against  the  motion.  This  showed  that  Mr.  Gribson 
still  retained  a  strong  hold  on  the  minds  of  the  Saints. 

Notwithstanding  this  show  of  strong  opposition.  Brother 
Snow  arose,  and  in  his  remarks  prophesied  that  Mr.  Gibson 
would  see  the  time  that  not  one  of  the  Saints  would  remain 
with  him. 

Brother  Joseph  F.  Smith  remarked,  that,  among  the 
scores  of  Elders  who  had  labored  on  the  islands,  none  had 
'  been  so  utterly  wanting  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  the  gospel 
as  to  charge  the  Saints  anything  for  conferring  on  them  the 
blessings  of  the  Priesthood,  until  Walter  M.  Gibson  came, 
and  had  the  presumption  to  claim  that  he  had  a  right  to 
ordain  apostles  and  high  priests,  for  a  price — for  money. 

The  Apostles  informed  Mr.  Gibson  and  the  Saints  that, 
when  they  left  the  islands  for  home,  Elder  Joseph  F.  Smith 
would  be  left  in  charge  of  the  mission.  That  all  those  who 
wished  to  be  considered  in  good  standing  in  the  Church 
should  leave  Lanai  and  return  to  their  homes  on  the  other 
islands,  where  the  branches  would  be  reorganized  and  set  in 
order  by  the  brethren  who  would  be  left  for  that  purpose. 

The  next  day  we  returned  to  Lahaina,  where  we  held  a  council 
and  cut  Mr.  Gibson  ofi*  from  the  Church.  We  returned  to 
Honolulu,  and,  about  eight  days  after,  Apostles  Snow  and 
Benson  took  passage  on  the  bark  Onward,  for  San  Francisco. 

Brother  Snow's  prophecy  was  literally  fulfilled.  The  Saints 
all  left  Mr.  Gibson  and  returned  to  their  former  homes,  as 


"^4  A  visioi^. 

they  had  been  counseled  to  do.  The  last  one  to  leave  him 
was  KaiHhune,  the  Elder  who  had  been  left  to  preside  over 
the  place  of  gathering  on  Lanai. 

He  finally  rejoined  the  Church.  All  the  plans  of  Mr. 
Gibson  were  completely  frustrated.  He  is  a  prominent 
example  of  the  nothingness  of  man,  when  he  attemps  to 
battle  against  the  kingdom  of  God. 

When  the  Elders  were  called  home,  in  1858,  there  had  not 
been  time  to  do  much  in  gathering  the  Saints.  As  Mr. 
Gibson  had  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  personal  title  to  the  land 
leased  for  that  purpose,  on  the  island  of  Lanai,  brothers 
Benson  and  Snow  advised  the  Elders  who  remained,  to  notice 
in  their  travels  what  appeared  to  them  the  best  places  for 
this  purpose,  that,  when  the  time  came  for  it,  a  good  selection 
might  be  made. 

On  the  island  of  Oahu,  and  near  the  sea  shore,  lived  a 
white  man  by  the  name  of  Doharty.  He  did  not  belong  to 
the  Church,  but  was  friendly  to  the  Saints,  and  the  Elders 
frequently  shared  his  hospitality.  Between  his  house  and  the 
sea  beach  was  a  piece  of  ground,  where  grew  a  ver}^  dense  thicket 
of  a  large  shrub  of  a  peculiar  growth.  Through  this  were 
paths  made  by  the  people  and  their  domestic  animals.  Into, 
this  thicket  the  Elders  when  there  were  in  the  habit  of  daily 
retiring  to  pray.  One  day  when  I  was  walking  along  one  of 
these  paths,  I  saw  President  Young  approach  me.  Said  he 
'  'This  is  the  place  to  gather  the  native  Saints  to. ' '  He  seemed 
to  fully  comprehend  the  surroundings,  and  in  that  easy,  famil- 
iar way,  so  characteristic  of  him,  indicated  the  advantages 
afforded  for  a  settlement.  No  matter  what  my  bodily  condition 
might  have  been  at  that  time,  the  apparent  meeting  was  in 
•  the  open  air  and  the  broad  light  of  day.  It  was  as  real  to  me 
as  any  fact  of  my  life.  I  saw  the  facilities  of  the  place  as  he 
represented  them,  and  ever  aftei^vards,  that  appeared  to  me 
the  best  place  on  the  islands  for  the  gathering  of  the  Saints. 

We  remained  on  the  islands  about  six  months  before  other 
Elders  arrived  from  Utah,  and  we  were  released  to  return 
home.  When  we  arrived  in  San  Francisco,  we  met  Elders  F. 
A.  Hammond,  and  George  Nebeker,  on  their  way  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands.     They  had  instructions  to  visit,  and  care- 


THE  PLACE  OF  GATHERING.  75 

fully  examine  all  the  islands,  and  make  the  best  possible  loca- 
tion that  could  be  made  available,  to  establish  a  place  for  the 
gathering  of  the  Saints. 

I  was  afterwards  imformed,  that  they  faithfully  carried  out 
their  instructions,  and  at  last  decided  that  the  place  to  which 
I  have  referred  on  the  island  of  Oahu,  was  the  best  for  the 
purpose.  It  was  purchased,  and  many  of  the  Saints  are  now 
gathered  there. 

They  have  an  extensive  sugar  plantation,  where  labor  is 
provided  for  them,  and  every  possible  facility  is  afforded  for 
their  advancement. 


A  PROPHECY  FULFILLED. 


AN    INCIDENT    OF    MISSIONAEY    EXPERIENCE. 


BY  B.    F.  JOHNSON. 


CALLED  ON  A  MISSION  TO  THE  SANDWICH  ISLANDS — ^JOURNEY 
BY  THE  SOUTHERN  ROUTE — ^A  PROPHECY — FEAR  AFTER 
UTTERING  IT— RESIDENCE  IN  HONOLULU — POLITICAL  AND 
RELIGIOUS  CONFLICT— THE  KINGDOM  IN  JEOPARDY— DIS- 
SATISFACTION AMONG  THE  PEOPLE— LETTER  TO  THE  KING 
FAVORABLY  CONSIDERED — ^A  DREAM — ^A  PRINCE  SENT  BY 
THE  KING  TO  ASK  COUNSEL  OF  LATTER-DAY  SAINT  ELDERS 
— ADVICE  ACCEPTED,  AND  THE  KINGDOM  SAVED — THE 
DREAM  AND  PROPHECY  FULFILED  TOGETHER. 

WITH  eight  other  Elders  I  was  called  by  the  General 
October  Conference  of  1852,  on  a  mission  to  the  Sand- 
wich Islands.  We  went  by  what  was  then  known  as  the 
Southern  route  to  California,  in  order  to  sail  from  San  Fran- 
cisco. 


76  A  PROPHECY. 

In  passing  through  the  southern  settlements  of  Utah,  we 
were  everywhere  treated  with  kindness  and  respect.  We 
were  often  invited  to  preach  where  we  stopped  for  the  night, 
or  to  spend  the  Sabbath.  We  were  in  company  with  many 
other  Elders  who  were  called  to  go  on  missions  to  China, 
Australia,  Hindostan,  Ceylon,  and  other  places. 

We  all,  alike,  took  part  in  the  meetings,  and  shared  the 
hospitality  of  the  Saints.  At  Parowan  we  had  an  unusually 
good  time,  in  a  meeting  of  the  Saints.  The  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  rested  greatly  upon  both  hearers  and  speakers. 

I  was  the  last  Elder  called  upon  to  speak,  and  only  a  few 
minutes  were  left  for  me  to  occupy.  Being  full  of  the  good 
feeling  and  spirit  of  the  meeting,  I  commenced,  not  only  to 
bear  my  testimony  to  the  truth,  but  to  prophesy  of  the  future 
of  some  of  the  sons  of  Zion  who  were  then  going  forth  as  her 
ministers. 

I  predicted  that,  through  faithfulness,  the  wisdom  of  heav- 
en would  increase  with  us;  that  while  the  wicked  became 
weaker,  the  Elders  of  Israel  would  grow  wiser;  that  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  would  begin  to  look  towards  Zion  for  coun- 
selors and  statesmen,  and  that,  if  the  Elders  now  going  forth 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth  were  true  to  their  calling,  they 
would  not  all  fill  their  missions  until  some  of  them  would  be 
called  upon  to  give  counsel  to  some  of  the  rulers  of  the  lands 
to  which  they  were  sent. 

After  closing  my  prophecy  and  remarks,  and  I  had  time  to 
ponder  on  what  I  had  said,  I  began  to  doubt  the  possibility 
of  my  predictions  being  fulfilled,  and  began  to  be  troubled  in 
mind. 

For  a  time  I  could  not  divest  myself  of  the  feeling,  that  my 
prediction  was  ill-timed  and  not  by  the  spirit  of  the  gospel. 
I  would  sometimes  query  if  the  brethren  did  not  regard  me 
as  a  false  prophet,  or,  at  least,  as  an  enthusiast. 

When  we  arrived  on  the  Sandwich  Islands,  we  found  the 
work  of  the  Lord  progressing.  The  Elders  who  had  been 
laboring  there  were  greatly  rejoiced  to  see  us. 

After  a  general  mission  conference,  most  of  the  brethren 
left  Honolulu  for  their  fields  of  labor  on  the  difi'erent  islands. 
I  was  left  at  this  capital  city,  in  charge  of  the  foreign  inter- 


POLITICAL  AND   RELIGIOUS  CONFLICT.  77 

ests  of  the  mission,  to  preside  over  a  small  branch  of  Saints, 
which  had  been  gathered  from  the  foreign  residents  on  the 
islands,  and  to  preach  to  the  people  as  I  might  find  oppor- 
tunity. I  also  assisted  Elders  Lewis  and  Cannon,  in  raising 
funds  for  publishing  the  Book  of  Mormon  in  the  native  lan- 
guage. 

Owing  to  the  conflicting  interests  of  political  and  religious 
parties  in  the  Hawaiian  kingdom,  it  was  in  a  weak  condition. 
The  various  missionary  interests  had  nearly  changed  into  politi- 
cal ones.  Dr.  Judd,  one  of  the  missionaries  sent  out  by  the 
American  Board  of  Foreifijn  Missions,  had  long  been  the  king's 
prime  minister.  Another  missionary,  by  the  name  of  Arm- 
strong, was  Minister  of  Public  Instruction,  and  other  Ameri- 
cans filled  the  offices  of  Minister  of  Foreign  Relations, 
Chief  Justice,  Attorney  General,  etc. 

This  missionary-political  power  began  to  cause  great  jeal- 
ousy, especially  in  the  case  of  Dr.  Judd.  Through  his  politi- 
cal advantages  he  had  acquired  much  wealth,  and,  apparently 
by  its  use,  raised  himself  up  to  be  a  power  behind  the  throne, 
greater  than  the  throne  itself. 

King  Kamehameha  III.,  like  George  the  III.,  of  England, 
had  not  reached  a  high  standard  of  virtue,  or  political  econ- 
omy. It  was  said  that,  for  money  borrowed  of  Dr.  Judd,  he 
had  given  a  mortgage  on  the  royal  palace. 

As  he  had  no  children  of  his  own  he  had  adopted  as  next 
in  succession,  two  sons  of  his  sister,  who  were  princes  of  the 
realm.  About  this  time  two  projects  were  deeply  agitating 
the  public  mind.  One  was  the  annexation  of  the  islands  to 
the  United  States,  the  other,  a  British  protectorate  over 
them.  Neither  of  these  projects  suited  the  interests  of  the 
young  princes,  or  pleased  the  majority  of  the  people. 

There  appeared  to  be  but  one  thing  upon  which  nearly  all  the 
natives  could  agree,  that  was  opposition  to  Dr.  Judd  as  the 
king's  prime  minister.  He  was,  of  course,  sustained  by  some 
of  his  fellow  missionaries,  but  appeared  to  be  detested  by  the 
majority  of  those  around  him.  Petition  after  petition  was 
sent  to  the  king,  asking  for,  and  even  demanding,  his  removal. 
The  court  house  and   other  large  halls  were  crowded  with 


78  LETTER  TO  THE  KING. 

indignation  meetings,  to  protest  against  his  being  retained  in 
office. 

It  seemed,  at  times,  as  though  the  people  would  break  out 
in  tumult  and  insurrection,  yet  the  king  made  no  move  to 
give  them  satisfaction,  and,  for  many  days,  no  answer  was 
given  to  their  petitions. 

All  this  time  I  had  been  a  careful  observer,  and  had 
attended  their  meetings.  I  had  previously  written  a  lengthy 
letter  to  the  king,  explaining  the  gospel  as  now  revealed  and 
the  object  of  our  mission  to  the  islands. 

This  letter  he  had  caused  to  be  published  in  the  govern- 
ment journal,  both  in  the  English  and  Hawaiian  languages. 
Such  was  the  impression  the  reading  of  it  made  on  his  mind, 
that  he  sent,  through  the  Minister  of  Foreign  Relations,  to  say 
that  he  would  give  us  an  audience  at  his  earliest  convenience. 
Up  to  the  time  of  which  I  am  writing,  he  had  not  found  the 
convenient  opportunity. 

In  the  midst  of  this  political  commotion,  I,  one  night, 
dreamed  that  I  stood  upon  an  eminence  near  a  large  moun- 
tain. I  saw  below  me  upon  the  bank  of  a  small,  but  rapid 
stream,  a  large  and  rudely  constructed  frame  building,  appar- 
ently designed  for  machinery.     It  was  not  yet  fully  inclosed. 

As  I  looked,  I  saw  a  dense  smoke  arise  from  the  building, 
and  heard  the  cry  of  fire  from  a  large  number  of  people. 

It  seemed  that  the  wind  blew  strong  from  the  mountain 
towards  the  building.  The  people  came  up  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  building,  to  put  out  the  fire,  and  they  were 
blinded  by  the  smoke  which  blew  in  their  faces.  I  thought 
how  foolish  they  were,  to  thus  stay  on  the  opposite  side  from 
the  wind,  to  be  bUnded  with  the  smoke. 

Looking,  I  saw  a  bucket  with  a  rope  attached  on  a  flume 
through  which  the  -water  ran.  I  quickly  took  it  up,  drew 
it  full  of  water,  looked  for  the  center  of  the  fire,  dashed  it  in, 
and,  all  at  once,  the  flame  was  extinguished. 

I  thought  a  multitude  of  people  came  crowding  into  the 
building,  wondering  by  whom  the  fire  had  been  extinguished. 
Although  I  was  with  them,  they  appeared  to  comprehend 
nothing  of  my  agency  in  the  matter.  I  thought  they  were 
almost  wild  with  joy,  that  the  building,  although  somewhat 


OUR  ADVICE  SOLICITED  BY  THE  KING.  79 

charred  and  damaged,  had  been  saved.  They  calculated  that 
the  damage  the  building  had  sustained  was  about  fifty 
thousand  dollars. 

I  awoke  in  the  morning,  strangely  impressed  with  the  dream. 
I  related  it  to  Brother  Nathan  Tanner,  who  was  then  with 
me.      I  told  him  I  thought  we  should  see  its  interpretation. 

That  morning.  Brother  Tanner  called  on  one  of  the  native 
Saints,  who  was  living  with  Halalea,  one  of  the  highest 
native  chiefs.  He  was  a  special  friend  of,  and  a  counselor  to, 
the  king,  and  the  man  who  carried  him  my  letter. 

He  told  Brother  Tanner  that  the  king  had  appointed  him 
to  come  with  Prince  Eehoreho,  to  meet  us  that  night  at  our 
rooms,  lay  before  us  the  king's  great  political  trouble,  and  get 
our  counsel. 

It  came  plainly  to  me,  then,  that  therein  would  be  the  fulfill- 
ment of  my  dream.  About  ten  o'clock  the  same  evening,  they 
called  on  us.  They  said  the  king  was  greatly  exercised  in  his 
mind  over  the  troubled  condition  of  his  government,  and 
that  be  was  not  decided  as  to  what  was  best  to  do. 

He  said  that  he  could  not  trust  to  the  counsel  of  his  minis- 
ters, nor  to  the  advice  of  the  ministers  of  other  nations  then 
at  his  court,  for  all  had  some  ppint  to  gain.  Dr.  Judd,  in  his 
past  troubles,  had  been  his  adviser,  and,  in  times  of  need, 
had  supplied  him  with  money. 

It  pained  him,  then,  to  turn  out  of  office  one  who  had  so 
long  been  his  friend,  and,  upon  this  subject,  he  wished  us  to 
give  him  our  wisest  counsel. 

While  Halalea  and  the  prince  were  delivering  their  message, 
I  was  continually  praying  in  my  heart  that  the  Lord  would 
give  us  wisdom  to  say  such  things  as  would  do  honor  to  His 
cause,  for  I  felt  very  small  for  such  an  important  occasion. 

After  they  delivered  the  king's  message  in  full,  I  arose  and 
told  them  that  we  were  not  sent  to  meddle  with  governments, 
nor  to  teach  political  science,  but  to  preach  the  gospel  of 
Christ  as  now  revealed.  But,  inasmuch  as  the  king  was  our 
friend,  and  desired  counsel  of  us,  we  would  give  him  such  as 
the  Lord  would  put  in  our  hearts. 

I  told  them  the  Bible  said,  that  'Vhen  the  wicked  rule 
the  people  mourn;'*  that  if  Dr.  Judd  was  really  a  good  man 


80  DREAM   FULFILLED. 

and  a  true  friend  to  the  king,  as  the  king  had  believed  him  to 
be,  he  would  not  now  allow  the  king  to  be  in  such  great 
trouble  on  his  account,  but,  like  a  true  friend,  would  resign 
his  office  for  the  sake  of  peace  between  the  king  and  his  sub- 
jects. 

The  fact  that  he  was  disposed  to  hold  on  to  his  office,  at 
the  expense  of  peace  to  the  king's  realm,  showed,  conclusively, 
that  he  was  influenced  by  other  motives  than  the  peace  and 
welfare  of  the  kingdom.  ''We  feel,"  said  I,  "that  the  present 
great  political  trouble  and  mourning  is  owing  to  Dr.  Judd  not 
being  a  good  man,  but  wickedly  holding  a  grasp  upon  the 
government  office  against  the  wishes  of  the  people,  for  which 
there  is  no  necessity,  as  the  king  has  many  true  subjects  of 
more  than  equal  ability,  any  one  of  whom  he  could  appoint  as 
Dr.  Judd 's  successor." 

When  I  ceased  speaking,  the  king's  messengers  clasped 
my  hands  and  said :  '  'The  things  you  have  told  us  we  had  not 
thought  of,  and  they  are  true.  The  king  will  be  glad  when 
we  tell  him  what  you  have  said,  for  we  can  see  it  plainly, 
now.  We  will  assure  you  that,  at  ten  o'clock  to-morrow,  you 
will  hear  the  king's  herald  proclaiming  through  the  streets  of 
the  city  that  Dr.  Judd  is  removed  from  office. ' ' 

They  left  us  with  the  warmest  feelings  of  gratitude  and 
friendship. 

The  next  morning  at  ten  o'clock,  the  heralds  were  heard 
proclaiming  the  dismissal  of  Dr.  Judd.  The  news  created 
wonder  and  astonishment  among  the  people,  and  they  hurried 
together  with  public  demonstrations  of  joy.  They  greatly 
marveled  and  queried  by  what  agency,  or  through  whose 
influence  this  long  delaj^ed,  though  most  desirable  object  had 
been  attained. 

As  I  had  dreamed,  so  I  saw  the  people  greatly  rejoicing, 
and,  although  I  was  daily  among  them,  they  had  no  thought 
that  a  Latter-day  Saint  could  have  had  any  agency  in  so 
important  a  matter. 

At  night  the  city  was  brilliantly  illuminated.  There  were 
few  windows  in  it  that  did  not  have,  at  least,  one  candle  to 
each  pane  of  glass. 


BtriLDING  OF  EARLY  TEMPLES.  81 

In  a  settlement  with  Dr.  Judd,  as  I  had  dreamed,  the 
government  found  that  it  had  lost  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

Thus  my  prophecy  and  my  dream  were  fulfilled  together, 
and  peace  returned  to  the  people.  Joy  came  to  our  hearts 
that  the  Lord,  through  the  inspiration  of  His  Holy  Spirit, 
had  made  us,  His  humble  Elders,  the  means  of  giving  saving 
counsel  to  princes. 


SPECIAL   PROVIDENCES. 


CIRCTJMSTANCES  UNDER  WHICH  THE  EARLY  TEMPLES  WERE 
BUILT — HOW  THE  WORKMEN  WERE  ENCOURAGED — ^AR- 
RIVAL OF  BROTHER  L IN  NAUVOO — HIS  WILLINGNESS 

TO  WORK  WITHOUT  PAY — HIS  EXTREME  WANT— APPEALS 
TO  GOD  FOR  HELP— MONEY  MIRACULOUSLY  PROVIDED — 
PRAYER  FOR  FOOD  ANSWERED— PROVIDENTLAJL  FINDING 
OF  A  PAIR  OF  SHOES  ON  THE  PLAINS— A  CRIPPLED 
SHOULDER  RESTORED  WHILE  DEFENDING  THE  CHARACTER 
OF  JOSEPH  SMITH. 

IF  a  record  had  been  kept  of  all  the  facts  connected  with 
the  building  of  the  Kirtland  and  Nauvoo  Temples,  it  would 
tell  a  curious  story  of  poverty,  self-denial,  dependence  upon 
God  and  wants  providentially  supplied. 

No  doubt  such  a  record  has  been  kept,  but  not  here  on 
earth.  We  have  not  access  to  it.  But  many,  very  many  of 
those  who  had  the  privilege  of  aiding  in  the  work  of  building 
those  temples  have  gone  to  meet  that  record.  Some  doubt- 
less will  meet  it  with  satisfaction,  with  joy  untold;  others 
with  remorse  and  self-reproach. 

Could  the  Saints  of  the  present  day  peruse  that  record,  it 
would  put  many  of  them  to  the  blush  to  think  they  had  done 
so  little  in  aid  of  such  works.  They  would  see  that,  though 
they  have  enjoyed  peace  and  plenty,  they  have  done  almost 


82  POVERTY  OF  THE  SAINTS. 

nothing  towards  the  temples  in  our  day,  compared  with  what 
the  poor  Saints  did  in  building  those  earlier  houses  of  Grod. 

The  Kirtland  Temple  was  built  when  the  Saints  were  few  in 
number  and  in  great  poverty,  and  though  comparatively  small 
in  size,  the  erection  of  such  a  building  by  the  tithes  and 
voluntary  donations  of  those  who  were  faithful,  was  a  very 
great  undertaking.  That  it  was  finished  in  so  short  a  time 
was  remarkable,  and  this  fact  speaks  volumes  for  the  devotion 
ot  the  Saints  of  that  early  day. 

When  the  Nauvoo  Temple  was  commenced,  the  Saints  had 
increased  considerably  in  numbers,  but  were,  as  a  rule,  even 
poorer  than  in  the  days  of  Kirtland.  They  had  been  perse- 
cuted by  their  enemies,  driven  from  their  homes  and  plundered 
of  their  property.  Finding  a  temporary  rest  in  a  bend  of 
the  Mississippi  river,  a  locality  noted  for  its  insalubrity,  they 
had  struggled  in  the  midst  of  malarial  sickness  and  severe 
privations  to  establish  new  homes,  and  had  only  just  begun 
to  gather  a  few  comforts  around  them  when  they  were 
required  by  revelation  from  the  Lord  to  build  a  temple  to  His 
name. 

Upon  that  temple,  many  of  the  Saints  labored  month  after 
month,  with  an  energy  and  interest  that  only  religious  zeal 
can  impart.  They  had  learned  something  of  the  use  and 
importance  of  temples,  before  that  building  was  commenced, 
but  as  the  work  advanced  more  light  was  given  them  from 
time  to  time.  The  Prophet  of  Grod  would  visit  the  workmen 
and  instruct  and  encourage  them  in  their  labors  personally, 
freciuently  pronouncing  blessings  upon  their  heads  for  their 
diligence  and  faithfulness,  and  when  persecution  became  so 
strong  that  he  was  obliged  to  hide  from  his  enemies,  he  sent  the 
written  word  to  stimulate  them  in  their  labors,  and  explained 
the  doctrine  of  baptism  for  the  dead,  then  newly  revealed. 

While  living  thus  in  seclusion,  he  wrote  to  the  Saints  in 
Nauvoo,  on  the  1st  of  September,  1842 :  "And  again,  verily 
thus  saith  the  Lord,  let  the  work  of  my  temple,  and  all  the 
works  which  I  have  appointed  unto  you,  be  continued  on  and 
not  cease ;  and  let  your  diligence,  and  your  perseverance,  and 
patience,  and  your  works  be  redoubled,  and  you  shall  in 
nowise  lose  your  reward,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.     And  if 


ENCOXTRAGEMENT  TO  WORKMEN.  83 

they  persecute  j^ou,  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets  and 
righteous  men  that  were  before  you.  For  all  this  there  is  a 
reward  in  heaven. ' ' 

Again,  on  the  6th  of  the  same  month,  he  wrote  additional 
words  of  encouragement,  unfolding  still  farther  that  glorious 
saving  principle  as  it  had  been  revealed  to  him,  and  roused 
the  workmen  to  action  by  this  stirring  appeal :  "Brethren, 
shall  we  not  go  on  in  so  great  a  cause?  Go  forward  and  not 
backward.  Courage,  brethren ;  and  on,  on  to  the  victory ! 
Let  your  hearts  rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad.  Let  the 
earth  break  forth  into  singing.  Let  the  dead  speak  forth 
anthems  of  eternal  praise  to  the  King  Immanuel,  who  hath 
ordained  before  the  world  was,  that  which  would  enable  us  to 
redeem  them  out  of  their  prison ;  for  the  prisoners  shall  go 
free." 

Being  thus  encouraged,  and  knowing  that  the  time  allowed 
for  building  the  house  was  limited,  the  men  worked  with  a 
will  and  determination  that  made  success  certain.  Though 
they  had  to  stand  guard  at  night  to  prevent  their  enemies 
from  surprising  the  city  during  the  darkness  and  slaying  its 
defenseless  inhabitants,  they  did  not  cease  their  exertions 
during  the  daytime  to  erect  the  house  of  Grod.  Though  they 
went  on  short  rations  till  some  of  them  actually  fainted  beside 
their  work,  from  sheer  hunger  and  exhaustion,  still  they  per- 
severed. Though  the  mechanics  employed  upon  the  temple  had 
tempting  offers  of  abundant  work  and  ready  pay  if  they 
would  go  outside  of  Nauvoo  and  labor,  many  of  them  pre- 
ferred to  remain  and  work  without  pecuniary  reward  in  rear- 
ing that  sacred  structure. 

The  case  of  one  of  those  workmen  will  serve  to  illustrate 
the  self-sacrificing  disposition  manifested  by  many  of  those 
who  labored  upon  that  building,  as  well  as  the  way  their 
simple  wants  were  sometimes  supplied  by  the  Almighty. 

Brother  L arrived  in  Nauvoo  from  England,  his  native 

country,  in  March,  1844.  He  was  an  excellent  mechanic,  had 
held  good  situations  and  been  in  good  circumstances  in  the 
"old  country,"  and  his  skill  as  a  workman  was  such  as  to 
command  ready  employment  and  high  wages  in  any  of  the 
large  cities  of  America,  had  such  been  his  object. 


84  THE  CASE  OF  BROTHER  L . 

But  he  had  embraced  the  gospel  and  received  a  testimony 
of  its  truth,  and  afterwards  the  spirit  of  gathering  with  the 
Saints,  which  enabled  him  to  brook  the  taunts  and  ridicule 
heaped  upon  him  by  friends  and  relatives  for  his  unpopular 
faith,  and  resist  the  pleading  of  aged  parents,  who  were 
loath  to  part  with  him. 

His  faith  and  zeal  were  such  that  he  had  left  friends  and 
property  and  all  that  he  had  formerly  held  dear,  and  come  to 
America  that  he  might  be  with  the  chosen  people  of  God  and 
assist  in  building  up  Zion. 

He  was  ambitious  to  labor  upon  the  temple,  and  applied  for 
work  immediately  upon  his  arrival  in  Nauvoo.  When  informed 
that  there  was  plentj^  of  work  but  nothing  to  pay  with,  he 
replied  that  pay  was  no  consideration. 

He  took  hold  with  a  determination,  and  worked  with  all 
the  energy  with  which  the  young,  strong  and  enthusiastic 
nature  was  capable  from  that  time  until  the  work  upon  the 
^mple  ceased,  upwards  of  two  years,  and  during  that  time 
only  received  in  cash  for  his  services  the  small  amount  of  fifty 
cents. 

Many  a  time  he  felt  the  pangs  of  hunger,  and  went  to  his 
work  fasting  rather  than  join  with  his  family  in  eating  the 
last  ration  of  food  in  their  possession,  but  the  Lord  sustained 
him  by  His  Spirit,  gave  him  joy  in  his  labors  and  provided  a 
way  for  more  food  to  be  obtained  to  sustain  the  lives  of  him- 
self and  family. 

He  and  his  young  wife  had  a  habit  of  appealing  to  the 
Almighty  in  prayer  when  in  an  extremity,  and  they  invariably 
found  comfort  in  so  doing,  and  generally  had  their  prayers 
answered. 

Upon  one  occasion,  their  infant  child  was  dangerously  sick, 
and  they  felt  the  want  of  twenty-five  cents  to  procure  some 
medicine  with.  Where  to  get  it  they  did  not  know,  and  so, 
as  usual,  they  prayed  to  the  Lord  to  open  their  way  to  obtain 
it.  They  felt  an  assurance  on  arising  from  their  knees  that 
their  prayer  would  be  answered,  but  they  knew  not  how. 
Soon  afterwards  the  husband  happened  to  feel  some  hard 
substance  in  the  waistband  of  his  pants,  and  called  his  wife's 
attention  to  it,  wondering  what  it  could  be.     The  pants  were 


MONEY  PROVIDENTIALLY  PROVIDED.  85 

almost  new.  They  had  been  made  to  order  for  him  only  a 
short  time  before.  There  was  no  hole  in  the  band,  and  it 
seemed  that,  whatever  it  was,  it  must  have  been  inserted 
between  the  pieces  of  cloth  when  the  pants  were  being  made, 
and  yet  he  thought  it  strange  that  he  had  not  discovered  it 
before. 

To  solve  the  mystery,  a  few  stitches  were  cut,  and  the 
waistband  opened,  when,  lo !  there  were  two  new  ten  cent 
pieces  and  one  five  cent  piece — just  the  amount  of  money 
they  required  to  buy  medicine  with. 

Lest  the  money  might  have  been  lost  by  the  tailor  who 
made  the  pants,  a  very  poor  man  who  lived  neighbor  to  them, 
he  took  it  to  him  and  asked  him,  but  that  impecunious  indi- 
vidual said  he  knew  it  could  not  be  his,  for  he  had  never  had 
a  cent  of  money  in  his  possession  for  months. 

They  accepted  it  as  a  gift  from  the  Lord,  bought  the  medi- 
cine their  child  needed  and  he  was  soon  well. 

When  the  work  on  the  temple  was  nearing  completion,  the 
food  supply  for  the  family  became  entirely  exhausted,  and 
there  seemed  no  prospect  of  obtaining  any  more  without 
quitting  the  work  on  the  temple  and  going   elsewhere  for 

employment.      That,  of  course,  Brother  L was  averse  to 

doing,  and  in  this,  as  in  other  cases  of  extremity,  he  and  his 
wife  retired  to  their  bedroom  to  lay  the  matter  before  the 
Lord.  They  had  scarcely  finished  their  prayer  when  a  knock 
was  heard  at  the  door.  On  opening  it,  they  found  a  man  there 
who  said  he  desired  a  particular  job  of  work  done,  wbich  he 

did  not  feel  like  entrusting  to  anyone  else  but  Brother  L . 

However,  he  was  in  no  particular  hurry  for  it,  it  need  not  be 
done  till  the  work  on  the  temple  was  completed,  but  he  wanted 
to  arrange  and  pay  for  it  then,  as  he  was  going  on  a  foreign 
mission.  ''But,"  said  he,  ''I  have  nothing  to  pay  you  for  it 
but  wheat;  can  you  use  that?" 

It  was  the  very  thing  the  family  stood  most  in  need  of;  it 
was  gratefully  accepted  and  regarded  as  a  direct  answer  to 
their  prayer,  and  within  a  short  time  the  wheat  was  ground 
and  a  good  supply  of  flour  returned  from  it. 

When  the  Saints  were  preparing  to  leave  Nauvoo,  wagons 
for  the  journey  were  in  great  demand,    and  every  person 


86  ,      DIRECT  ANSWER  TO  PRAYER. 

among  them  who  had  ever  worked  at  wagon-making,  and 
very  many  also  who  never  had,  set  to  work  making  them. 
Good  timber  was  tolerably  plentiful,  but  iron  cost  cash,  and 
that  was  a  scarce  article.  All  sorts  of  nonedescript  vehicles 
were  hastily  improvised,  many  of  them  so  rude  in  their  con- 
struction as  *to  put  the  veriest  bungler  of  a  wheelwright  to  - 
the  blush  for  their  appearance.  Yet  under  the  blessing  of 
God  they  did  good  service.  Some  of  them,  for  the  want  of 
iron,  were  made  almost  entirely  of  wood.  In  some  extreme 
cases  they  were  even  made  without  the  usual  iron  tires,  strips 
of  rawhide  being  nailed  on  the  felloes  as  a  substitute.  One, 
at  least,  of  the  wagons  made  in  this  fashion  stood  the  trip 
across  the  plains,  and  was  used  for  several  years  after  its 
arrival  in  Salt  Lake  Valley. 

Brother  L had  been  fortunate  enough  to  get  the  wood 

work  of  a  wagon  made,  but  how  to  procure  the  iron  was  a 
question  which  greatly  perplexed  him.  However,  he  knew 
that  he  was  engaged  in  the  Lord's  service,  and  he  felt  that  he 
had  a  claim  upon  His  mercy  and  blessings.  Accordingly,  he 
and  his  wife  made  their  want  a  subject  of  earnest  prayer,  and 
then  went  on  about  their  duties,  trusting  in  the  Lord  to 
answer  their  petition. 

Soon  afterwards  Brother  L had  occasion  to  go  out  on 

the  prairie  in  search  of  his  cow,  which  had  strayed  oflP,  and 
during  his  absence  encountered  a  drenching  shower,  so  that 
when  he  returned  home  he  found  it  necessary  to  change  his 
clothing.  He  hung  his  wet  clothes  before  a  fire  in  the  open 
fireplace  to  dry,  and  as  he  did  so 'a  bright  gold  sovereign,  a 
ten  and  a  five  cent  piece  dropped  to  the  floor,  apparently  from 
his  pocket.  He  knew,  however,  that  he  had  no  money  pre- 
viously, and  he  could  account  for  its  presence  there  only  by 
its  having  been  sent  by  the  Lord.  It  was  the  exact  amount 
required  to  purchase  the  iron  for  his  wagon,  and  it  was  soon 
obtained  and  the  wagon  finished. 

With  such  manifestations  as  these  of  God's  goodness,  he 
was  encouraged  to  continue  in  his  labors  upon  the  temple  of 
God,  and  when  it  was  so  far  completed  that  the  holy  ordi- 
nances for  which  it  was  designed  could  be  performed  in  it,  he 


FORTUNATE  FINDING  OF  SHOES.  87 

felt  repaid  in  the  blessings  which  he  therein  received  for  all 
his  efforts  towards  its  construction. 

A  rather  remarkable  case  of  special  providence  occurred 

when  Brother  L was  crossing  the  plains,  coming  to  Salt 

Lake  Valley.  His  shoes  gave  out,  and  his  feet  became  very 
sore  from  having  to  walk  so  much  while  driving  his  ox  team, 
etc.  Early  one  morning,  when  he,  in  company  with  another 
brother,  were  out  hunting  for  their  cattle,  he  exclaimed  to  his 
companion  as  he  limped  and  hobbled  over  the  rocky  ground, 
"Oh !  I  do  wish  the  Lord  would  send  me  a  pair  of  shoes!" 

He  had  not  walked  many  rods  after  expressing  this  wish 
when  he  saw  something  lying  a  short  distance  ahead  of  him, 
and  called  the  attention  of  his  companion  to  it,  who  remarked 
that  it  must  be  the  bell  and  strap  lost  off  one  of  the  oxen,  but 

to  the  inexpressible  joy  of  Brother  L ,   he  found,   on 

approaching  the  object,  that  it  was  a  new  pair  of  shoes,  which 
had  evidently  never  been  worn,  and  which  he  found,  on  trying 
them  on,  to  fit  him  as  well  as  if  they  had  been  made  for  him. 
He  thanked  the  Lord  for  them,  for  .he  felt  that  it  was 
through  His  merciful  providence  that  they  had  been  left 
there,  and  went  on  his  way  rejoicing.  The  shoes  did  him 
good  service. 

While  alluding  to  Brother  L ,  another  incident  may  be 

related  from  his  experience  to  illustrate  the  manner  in  which 
the  Almighty  sustains  and  blesses  those  who  are  valiant  in 
defending  His  cause  and  the  character  of  His  anointed 
servants. 

At  an  early  period  in  the  settlement  of  Salt  Lake  Varey, 

Brother  L had  a  severe  attack  of  inflammatory  rl  eu- 

matism  and  bilious  fever,  from  which  he  suffered  a  long  time, 
and  which  drew  his  shoulder  out  of  place  and  left  him  n  a 
very  helpless  condition.  He  was  in  that  fix  for  about  six 
months — able  to  walk  about,  but  unable  to  make  any  use 
whatever  of  one  arm.  He  could  not  even  dress  himself. 
Surgeons  examined  his  shoulder,  and  assured  him  that  it  was 
out  of  joint,  and  urged  him  to  have  it  set.  He,  however, 
declined  accepting  their  advice,  as  he  had  faith  that  the  J^oid 
would  make  him  whole  in  answer  to  his  prayer. 


88  CRIPPLED   SHOULDER  MADE  WHOLE. 

Living  neighbor  to  him  in  Salt  Lake  City,  and  holding  an 
office  to  which  he  had  been  appointed  by  the  vote  of  the 
members  of  the  Ward,  was  a  man  by  the  name  of  Grallup, 
who  was  a  rank  apostate  at  heart,  although  he  had  a  standing 
h<  the  Church. 

In  conversation  with  Brother  L one  day,   this  man 

Grallup  advocated  the  doctrines  of  a  certain  man  named 
Gladden  Bishop,  who  had  once  belonged  to  the  Church  but 
who  had  apostatized  and  attempted  to  start  a  church  of  his 
own. 

Brother  L became  so  disgusted  with  his  false  reason- 
ing and  bitter,  malignant  spirit  that  he  went  to  the  Bishop  of 
the  Ward  and  made  complaint  about  such  a  man  as  G-allup 
being  allowed  to  hold  an  office  in  the  Ward  or  even  a  member- 
ship in  the  Church. 

The  result  was,  a  Priesthood  meeting  was  called,  and  Mr. 
Gallup  was  cited  to  appear  and  state  his  views  upon  the  su'b- 
ject  of  religion. 

In  the  course  of  his  speech  he  declared :  '* Joseph  Smith 
was  a  wicked  and  adulterous  man ;  he  ate  and  drank  with  the 
drunkard,  his  lot  was  cast  with  the  hypocrite  and  unbeliever, 
and  he  has  gone  to-hell. ' ' 

This  was  too  much  for  Brother  L to  stand,  even  in  his 

crippled  condition.  He  could  not  tamely  submit  to  hear  the 
character  of  a  man  assailed  whom  he  loved  dearer  than  his 
life.  Jumping  to  his  feet,  and  springing  over  the  benches 
that  stood  between  him  and  Mr.  Gallup,  he  made  for  him 
with  the  intention  of  administering  summary  vengeance. 
Several  persons  immediately  interposed  to  prevent  him  from 
inflicting  any  bodily  injury  upon  Gallup,  and  it  was  noticed 
that  he  made  use  of  his  crippled  arm,  and  when  the  excite- 
ment subsided  he  discovered  himself  that  his  shoulder  had 
assumed  its  natural  position  and  that  he  was  as  well  as  he 
ever  had  been. 

Gallup,  of  course,  was  cut  off  from  the  Church,  and  thought 
himself  fortunate,  no  doubt,  in  escaping  a  castigation,  and 

Brother  L went  home  rejoicing,  and  entered  his  house 

swinging  his  arm  which  had  been  so  long  useless  and  shouting 
for  joy,  while  his  wife  wept  tears  of  gratitude  for  the  goo^- 


INCIDENTS  ON  THE  PLAINS.  89 

n  ss  of  Grod  in  bringing  about  his  restoration  to  health  and 
soundness. 


INCIDENTS    ON    THE    PLAINS. 


BY  A.  M.  C. 


CHAPTER    I. 

ARMY  SENT  TO  UTAH— MISSIONARIES  CALLED  HOME— LARGE 
NUMBER  ASSEMBLE  AT  FLORENCE — ^DANGERS  OF  THE 
TRIP — COUNCIL  TO  DECIDE  UPON  COURSE  OF  ACTION — 
FORTUNATE  FOG— PROVIDENTIAL  STORM. 

TN  1857,  James  Buchanan,  who  was  then  President  of  the 
^  United  States,  sent  an  army  to  this  Territory,  for  the  pur- 
pose, it  was  said,  of  punishing  the  "Mormons"  for  breaking  the 
laws  and  doing  violence  to  the  judges  who  had  been  sent 
here. 

This  was  the  excuse  given  for  the  army  being  sent ;  but 
the  people  of  the  Territory  had  not  violated  the  laws  nor  done 
any  injury  to  any  of  the  officers  of  the  Government;  they  were 
then,  as  they  ever  have  been,  peaceable  and  law  abiding. 

The  real  object  for  sending  the  troops  here,  was  to  crush 
out  what  the  world  called  "Mormonism." 

The  principahmen  who  urged  the  sending  of  troops  here, 
were  traitors  in  their  hearts  against  the  Government,  and  they 
hoped  by  taking  these  steps  to  divert  the  attention  of  the 
country  from  their  own  wicked  schemes;  and  also  to  get  the 
army  of  the  United  States  out  of  the  way  by  having  it  sent 
to  this  distant  region.  By  accomplishing  this,  they  thought 
they  could  operate  to  advantage  in  bringing  about  their  own 
designs. 

The  army  was  kept  out  at  Fort  Bridger  all  that  winter  and 
many  of  the  officers  aud  soldiers  were  very  angry  because 


90  ELDERS  RETURNING  PROM  MISSIONS. 

they  could  not  come  into  our  cities  and  enjoy  themselves  at  our 
expense. 

When  it  was  found  that  the  army  was  marching  here,  and 
there  was  likely  to  be  trouble,  the  Elders  in  Europe  and  in 
the  United  States  were  re-called;  but  feelings  ran  so  high  in 
the  United  States  against  our  people  that  it  was  somewhat 
dangerous  for  a  man  to  travel  and  be  known  as  a  '  'Mormon. ' ' 
On  the  plains  there  were  men  on  the  watch  for  every  one 
bearing  the  name  of  Latter-day  Saint. 

It  was  under  these  circumstances  that  the  Elders  assembled 
at  the  frontiers  to  return  home.  One  hundred  and  ten  of 
them  crossed  .the  Missouri  river  in  the  beginning  of  May, 
1858,  at  the  point  formerly  known  as  Winter  Quarters; 
at  present  it  is  called  Florence. 

They  were  anxious  to  get  home,  some  of  them  having  been 
absent  a  year  and  others  for  three  or  four  years. 

There  were,  in  reality,  two  companies;  one  composed  of 
Elders  returning  from  the  United  States  and  Canada,  Elder 
David  Brinton  being  their  captain,  and  the  Elders  returning 
from  Europe,  who  had  Elder  John  W.  Berry  as  their  cap- 
tain. It  was  deemed  advisable,  however,  in  view  of  the 
troubled  and  uncertain  state  of  affairs,  for  both  companies  to 
travel  together. 

The  writer  was  in  the  company  of  Elders  returning  from 
the  United  States,  where  he  had  been  on  a  mission  for  upwards 
of  three  years. 

We  had  heard  of  several  of  our  brethren  being  taken  by 
the  army  and  held  under  threats,  and  we  knew  not  what  our 
fate  would  be  were  the  soldiers  to  get  us  in  their  power ;  for 
they  accused  every  Latter-day  Saint  of  treachery  to  the  Govern- 
ment while  they  themselves  were  in  reality  the  traitors  as  the 
sebsequent  careers  of  many  of  them  fully  proved. 

Many  thought  that,  as  the  roads  were  all  blocked,  and 
carefully  watched  by  the  troops,  when  we  came  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  army  we  would  be  under  the  necessity  of  burning  or 
abandoning  our  wagons  and  everything  that  we  could  not 
pack  on  our  animals. 

Among  the  brethren  was  a  man  whose  name  was  Pope;  he 
had  a  wife  and  two  or  three  small  children.     They  were  very 


DANGERS  OF  THE  JOURNEY.  91 

anxious  to  accompaDy  us,  and,  although  the  perils  we  were 
about  to  encounter  were  of  a  serious  nature,  they  could  not 
be  induced  by  anything  that  could  be  said  to  them  to  remain 
behind.  A  council  of  the  Elders  was  held  upon  their  case, 
and  it  was  agreed  to  permit  Brother  Pope  to  accompany  us, 
as  well  as  four  brethren  who  proposed  walking  the  entire  dis- 
tance to  the  Valley. 

It  was  a  time  that  required  faith  to  be  exercised,  for  the 
affairs  of  the  Saints  were  in  a  critical  condition.  We  knew, 
however,  that  God  had  delivered  us  when  we  had  relied  upon 
Him,  and  we  united  with  great  zeal  in  imploring  His  blessing, 
that  He  might  overrule  everything  in  such  a  manner  that 
we  could  return  in  safety  to  the  society  of  our  families  and 
friends. 

After  leaving  Winter  Quarters  we  traveled  on  without 
interruption  until  we  drew  near  to  Fort  Kearny.  Our  road 
was  on  the  north  side  of  the  Platte,  and  Fort  Kearny  was 
on  the  south  side.  There  were  troops  at  the  fort,  and  they 
were  on  the  alert  to  prevent  companies  of  men  or  any  kind  of 
aid  passing  over  the  road  to  help  the  "Mormons"  in  Utah  ; 
for  they  pretended  to  look  upon  our  people  as  public  enemies. 

It  was  our  custom  at  such  times  to  hold  a  council,  and  take 
into  consideration  the  best  course  to  pursue.  The  Elders  all 
came  together  and  we  prayed  to  the  Lord,  and  asked  Him  to 
bestow  upon  us  His  Holy  Spirit  and  to  lead  and  guide  us  in 
our  operations.  When  we  unitedly  decided  in  council  upon  ' 
pursuing  a  certain  course  we  always  felt  that  that  was  the 
mind  and  will  of  the  Lord  unto  us. 

It  was  decided  at  this  council  that  we  should  avoid  attracting 
the  attention  of  the  people  of  the  fort  by  passing  it  in  the 
night. 

Unfortunately,  as  it  seemed  at  the  time,  it  rained  heavily 
that  evening  and  we  were  only  able  to  travel  until  a  little  past 
midnight.  By  that  time  ourselves  and  our  animals  were  so 
thoroughly  fatigued  and  the  night  was  so  dark  that  we  were 
compelled  to  stop  and  tie  up  for  the  night. 

Our  reflections  were  not  very  pleasant,  because  we  felt  sure 
that  when  morning  dawned  upon  us  we  would  be  in  full  sight 


92  A  FORTTINATE   FOG. 

of  the  fort,  and  undoubtedly  would  receive  a  visit  from  the 
officers  and  troops. 

We  awoke  with  the  dawn  of  day,  and  instead  of  being 
able  to  see  the  fort,  or  its  occupants  being  able  to  see  us,  we 
found  our  camp  enveloped  in  a  fog,  the  mist  being  so  dense 
that  it  was  with  difficulty  we  could  see  each  other.  We 
taveled  on  in  the  fog  until  afternoon,  by  which  time  we  were 
out  of  sight  of  the  fort. 

After  leaving  this  point  we  had  plenty  of  game,  buffalo, 
antelope,  etc. ,  and  we  were  able  to  obtain  an  abundance  of 
fresh  meat,  which  made  this  part  of  the  journey  exceedingly 
pleasant;  for  though  in  an  Indian  country,  we  had  not  the 
fear  of  the  wild  and  savage  red  men  that  we  had  of  those  of 
our  own  color,  who  professed  to  be  the  loyal  citizens  of  our 
government. 

As  we  approached  the  junction  of  the  North  and  South 
Platte,  a  herd  of  mules  passed  us.  They  were  being  driven  in  the 
direction  of  Fort  Laramie  and  were  traveling  at  a  much  faster 
gait  than  we  were  going.  The  men  who  were  driving  them 
saw  us,  and  we  fully  expected  they  would  carry  the  intelli- 
gence to  the  fort  of  our  being  close  by.  It  was  known  that 
* 'Mormon"  Elders  were  returnin^to  the  Valley,  and  the  mili- 
tary were  prepared  to  stop  them,  or  to  otherwise  interfere 
with  them. 

When  within  half  a  day's  travel  of  Fort  Laramie,  another 
council  was  called  to  take  into  consideration  the  best  course  to 
pursue.  We  settled  the  matter  by  determining  to  rest  on 
Sunday,  rise  early  the  following  morning  and  pass  the  fort  in 
dayHght,  as  we  felt  satisfied  the  troops  were  informed  of  our 
approach  by  the  men  who  had  just  passed  us. 

Monday  was  a  beautiful  day ;  we  traveled  on  without  inter- 
ruption until  we  came  in  sight  of  the  fort,  which  was  about 
one  o'clock,  when  one  of  the  severest  hailstorms  any  of  us 
had  ever  seen  broke  upon  us.  The  hail  fell  so  rapidly  that 
our  animals  could  scarcely  travel  on  account  of  their  feet  ball- 
ing up  with  it.  Our  train  had  been  seen  from  the  fort 
and  parties  had  started  to  meet  us;  but  when  the  storm  broke 
upon  them,  they  were  compelled  to  retreat  to  their  quarters. 
The  storm  was  too  severe  for  them  to  remain  out  in  it. 


ESCAPE  THROUGH  A  STORM^  93 

I  learned  afterwards  that  when  the  storm  ceased  a  company 
of  men  had  been  sent  from  Fort  Laramie  to  overtake  us. 
They  followed  us  as  far  as  the  North  Platte  bridge,  and  not 
being  able  to  reach  us  at  this  point,  they  deemed  it  best  to 
return  again  to  the  fort.  We  were  not  aware  of  this  at  the 
time ;  but  having  traveled  leisurely  from  Kearny  to  Laramie, 
our  animals  were  in  much  better  condition  than  when  we 
started ;  and  fearing  that  the  people  at  Laramie  might  make 
some  attempt  to  stop  us,  we  made  forced  drives  until  we 
reached  Independence  Eock  on  the  Sweetwater.  Thus  the 
Lord  again  delivered  us  from  the  hands  of  our  enemies  in  a 
most  providential  manner ;  for  had  it  not  been  for  this  hail- 
storm it  is  altogether  likely  we  would  have  been  stopped. 


CHAPTEKIL 

APOSTATES  MET— THE  CHAPLAIN  SEPARATES  FROM  THE  COM 
PANY  TO  MEET  SOME  APOSTATES — ^AN  ADVENTUROUS 
TRIP— DISCHARGED  GOVERNMENT  TEAMSTERS  INDIG- 
NANT AT  "mormons" — PLOT  TO  STEAL  THE  CHAPLAIN'S 
HORSE — ADVICE  TO  THE  APOSTATES  TO  LOOK  TO  THEIR 
OWN     SAFETY  —  MR.     STOUT's     COMPASSION     FOR     THE 

hatchet-faced  missourian— how  his  confidence 
was  rewarded  —  meet  captain  hatch — news  of 
Buchanan's  amnesty  proclamation  —  evade  the 
army,  and  reach  the  valley  safely. 

AT  the  Three  Crossings  of  the  Sweetwater  we  met  a  com- 
pany of  apostates,  who  were  in  full  retreat  from  the 
Valley,  unwilling  to  trust  God's  providence  to  screen  them 
from  the  wrath  of  our  enemies,  and  anxious  to  get  back 
to  the  States. 

The  night  following  we  encamped  at  the  eastern  end  of 
what  is  known  as  the  Seminole  cut-off.  The  company  in- 
tended to  travel  on  this  cut-off  in  the  morning. 


94  THE  chaplain's  ADVENTURE. 

That  evening  the  chaplain  of  our  company,  a  young  Elder 
who  had  a  fondness  for  adventure,  proposed  that  he  should 
travel  on  the  old  route,  for  the  purpose  of  meeting  a  man  for 
whom  he  had  transacated  some  business  in  the  States,  and 
who,  he  was  informed,  was  returning  in  a  company  of  apostates. 
Captains  Berry  and  Brinton  thought  he  ought  not  to  attempt 
to  go  by  that  route  alone ;  at  this,  one  of  the  other  Elders 
volunteered  to  accompany  him.  But  when  morning  came 
the  latter  had  changed  his  mind;  for  it  had  stormed  during 
the  night,  snow  had  fallen  and  it  still  snowed  very  hard,  and 
he  thought  the  weather  too  disagreeable  for  so  lonely  a  trip. 

Mr.  Chaplain,  however,  in  opposition  to  all  remonstrances, 
was  resolved  to  go,  and  he  started  out  alone,  on  horseback, 
taking  with  him  some  blankets  and  a  few  crackers.  It  was 
the  eleventh  day  of  June — a  strange  time,  you  would  think, 
for  snow  to  fall,  yet  it  continued  to  descend  until  the  middle 
of  the  afternoon,  and  was  so  deep  that  when  he  came  to  a 
place  on  the  Sweetwater,  called  the  Rocky  Ridge,  he  was 
obliged  to  dismount  and  lead  his  pony.  It  was  a  lonely  trip 
which  he  took,  and  through  a  wild,  desolate  country;  it  was 
with  considerable  pleasure,  therefore,  that  he  came  in  sight 
of  the  camp  which  he  sought  just  as  the  sun  was  going  down. 

It  was  encamped  on  what  is  known  as  Quaking- Aspen 
Creek.  The  man  whom  he  expected  to  meet  was  not  in  the 
company;  but  he  found  others  whom  he  had  known,  persons 
who  did  not  love  the  gospel  sufficiently  to  endure  the  trials 
promised  to  the  Saints;  but  were  desirous  to  return  to  that 
Babylon  from  which  they  had  been  gathered. 

When  the  chaplain  rejoined  his  companions,    the  Elders, 

he  related  the  incidents  of  this  trip  and  I  was  permitted  to 

take  the  following  account  from  his  journal: 

*'I  had  just  staked  my  animal  to  feed  upon  the  brush  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  camp,  when  a  company  of  discharged 
Government  teamsters  passed  by  on  their  way  east,  under 
the  guidance  of  George  Merrick.  On  account  of  the  hard- 
ships they  had  endured  the  previous  winter,  they  were  very 
indignant  at  everybody  called  'Mormon.'  They  had  calcu- 
lated on  enjoying  themselves  at  our  people's  expense  in  the 
Valley;  but  instead  of  that,  they  had  been  kept  out  in  the 
mountains  all  winter,  and  they  were  disappointed.  An  hour 
later  one  Ephraim  Thornton,  a  young  man  who,  when  a  boy, 
in  Nauvoo,  had  been  a  schoolmate  of  mine,  but  who  was  now 


stout's  compassion  for  a  missourian.  95 

an  apostate,  took  me  aside  and  informed  me  of  a  i)Ian  which 
had  been  arranged  to  rob  me  of  my  horse.  A  discharged 
Government  teamster  had  sworn  to  take  it,  or  die  in  the  attempt, 

"I  thanked  Mr.  Thornton  for  the  information;  but  1  advised 
him  to  have  the  camp  look  to  their  own  affairs,  and  I  would 
conduct  mine,  adding  that  I  did  not  fear  that  teamster's  threats, 
as  'barking  dogs  seldom  bite.' 

"There  was  one  Mr.  Stout  in  this  company,  with  whom  I 
conversed.  He  was  bound  for  the  States,  and  was  accompanied 
by  his  wife.  He  told  me  that  he  had  been  successful  in  raising 
stock  in  Cedar  Valley,  and  had  sold  them  for  the  gold  to  the 
army  he  had  just  passed  at  Fort  Bridger.  He  pointed  out  to 
me  a  young  hatchet- faced  Missourian,  with  long  hair  and 
snake-like  appearance,  whom  he  represented  as  a  Government 
teamster,  a  poor  fellow  for  whom  he  felt  compassion,  and  whom 
he  was  carrying  to  his  home.  It  was  vain  for  me  to  advise  nmi 
not  to  trust  Mr.  Hatchet-face  too  far.  He  had  confidence  in 
him;  I  had  none;  I  would  not'have  trusted  him  out  of  my  sight. 
My  views  in  relation  to  him  received  speedy  confirmation; 
for  while  standing  with  my  back  to  the  fire  looking  in  the 
direction  of  my  pony,  I  heard  Mr.  Stout  swear  very  hard  at 
his  wife  for  leaving  the  wagon.  His  sack  of  gold,  amounting 
to  $1,500  had  disappeared.  An  investigation  revealed  the  fact 
that  not  only  was  the  gold  missing,  but  crackers,  blankets, 
several  watches  and  other  things,  besides  a  race  mare  belong- 
ing to  one  Joseph  Greenwood,  were  all  gone,  and  with  them 
the  poor  fellow,  the  Missourian,  for  whom  Mr.  Stout  had  felt 
so  much  compassion!  It  afterwards  transpired  that  he  had 
been  making  his  arrangements  for  flight  for  several  days. 
My  advice  to  Mr.  Thornton  for  the  camp  to  look  to  their  own 
affairs  was  very  timely,  as  this  transaction  proved. 

"That  my  horse  might  not  be  stolen  I  made  my  bed  upon 
the  snow,  holding  the  bridle  in  my  hand,  and  my  pistols 
ready  for  use  in  my  belt.  But  I  was  undisturbed.  I  arose  in 
the  morning  and  left  the  camp  and  its  misery  to  continue  my 
journey  towards  the  home  of  our  people.  As  I  left  the  last 
crossing  of  the  Sweetwater  and  was  ascending  the  South  Pass, 
I  met  a  company  of  our  brethren,  under  Captain  Abram 
Hatch,  going  to  the  North  Platte  on  business.  It  was  fortu- 
nate that  I  took  this  route,  for  they  had  word  for  our  company 
which,  had  I  not  met  them,  we  w^ould  not  have  received.  Upon 
learning  where  the  Elders  were,  they  turned  and  accompanied 
me.  We  found  the  company  on  the  cut-oflT,  five  miles  from 
its  junction  with  the  old  road." 

Our  chaplain  seemed  happy  at  rejoining  us,  and  from  his 
wearied  looks  and  blistered  face,  we  judged  he  would  not  soon 
go  again  in  search  of  apostates.  But,  as  he  said  in  his  jour- 
nal, it  was  fortunate  that  he  had  taken  that  route.  The  pro- 
vidence of  the  Lord  was  in  it,  and  it  was  overruled  for  our 
good  by  his  meeting  Captain  Hatch  and  companions.  They 
brought  us  President  Buchanan's  amnesty  proclamation, 
which  was  read,  also  the  intelligence  of  our  people's  move 


96  SAFE  ARRIVAL  IN  THE  VALLEY. 

South :  also  instructions  from  President  Young  to  the  effect 
that  unless  otherwise  instructed,  we  were  to  take  the  Sublet 
cut-off  to  the  north  until  we  struck  Bear  river,  and  then  travel 
on  the  trail  which  would  lead  us  to  the  head  of  Echo  canyon. 

From  Captain  Hatch,  also,  we  learned  that  it  was  the  inten- 
tion of  Col.  Albert  Sidney  Johnson,  the  commander  of  the 
army,  to  leave  Fort  Bridger  the  following  Monday  for  the 
Valley. 

But  little  remains  to  be  said  of  our  journey  home  after 
parting  with  Captain  Abram  Hatch  and  companions. 
We  had  reached  the  Big  Bend  on  the  Sandy,  when  we 
found  that  we  had  passed  the  Sublet  cut-off  and  were 
where  the  Kinney  cut-off  led  north.  It  was  decided  in 
council  to  travel  on  that  route. 

We  soon  struck  Green  river,  and  as  if  Providence  had 
arranged  affairs  for  us,  we  found  a  fine  ferry  boat  tied  at 
the  river  side,  upon  which  we  crossed.  We  continued  to 
travel  by  this  route  from  this  point  to  Bear  river,  which 
we  crossed  in  our  wagon  boxes,  there  being  no  boat,  and 
swam  our  horses.  Bear  river  not  being  very  wide,  we  had  no 
difficulty  in  crossing  by  this  means. 

We  came  into  Echo  canyon  twelve  miles  west  of  Yellow 
creek.  From  mountaineers  whom  some  of  the  Elders  met, 
•  and  who  were  going  east  with  supplies  to  meet  the  army, 
we  learned  that  Johnson  and  the  army  were  encamped  that 
night  on  Yellow  creek.  They  also  informed  the  brethren 
that  a  company  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  sappers  and  miners 
were  ahead  of  us,  reparing  the  road  and  removing  obstruc- 
tions before  the  advance  of  the  army. 

We  overtook  this  company  next  morning.  Had  they  sus- 
pected that  we  had  not  been  seen  by  the  main  army,  they 
would  very  likely  have  stopped  us.  But  they  had  no  idea 
that  we  had  come  by  any  other  route,  and  therefore  after 
asking  us  how  far  back  the  command  was,  *the  order  was 
given,  "Clear  the  road,  boys,  and  let  them  pass."  From 
this  point  we  traveled  on  until  we  reached  Salt  Lake  City 
without  meeting  any  incident  worthy  of  note. 


k 


